Endless Nightmare
by Queen Galux
Summary: Yugi refuses to put his friends in danger anymore with the Millennium Items, but his actions trigger unforseen consequences. :Completed:
1. And so it begins

To all who have read Endless Nightmare, I am presently redoing much of it. Taking out some things that were unwanted, and spellings that I missed first time around. Also, I'm fixing the way I labeled some things, like thoughts between Yami's and Hikari's, and scene stuff. I had heard that some people were teaming up, getting people reported and such, and I really don't want to give them a reason to report me.

* * *

disclaimer: i don't own yugioh.

Some things to remember:

If you've already read the story, you already know what it means when I use parenthesis and italics, or little dash mark things, but if you haven't read:

_thinking_

(Yugi to Yami), (_Yami to Yugi_), ((Ryou to Bakura)), ((_Bakura to Ryou_))

-change in pov-

* * *

Chapter One- And so it begins...  
  
"Hey Yuge! Wait up!"  
  
A tall, blonde-haired teenager raced through the sea of people toward a group of four teens about to board a bus. A short boy, with tricolored hair and amethyst eyes, turned around, smiling.  
  
"Joey, hurry up. Or the bus driver may charge extra for waiting so long," laughed Yugi.  
  
"I wouldn't blame him, for all the time you're wasting, mutt," said a voice behind Joey.  
  
The blonde groaned, "Look who's talkin' Kaiba. You're later den me!"  
  
"That's because I've got my chauffeur to take me home. He already gets paid to wait on me." With a cocky smirk, Kaiba turned on his heels and left.  
  
"Oh, dat Kaiba," Joey practically screamed. "One a 'dese days, I'll kick your sorry keistar inta next week!"  
  
An albino boy chuckled under his breath. "Oh Joey, Kaiba isn't that bad, but I suppose he could be less dominating over those he thinks are beneath him." Ryou murmured the last part as though he was still in thought.  
  
"And that's only everybody to him." Tea heaved a sigh, "But I doubt he could do that unless he got some friends."  
  
"Uh, sure," Duke Devlin scooted away from her a bit. _Aw, man. That's like the forty-fourth time she managed to work in friendship to a conversation for today.  
_  
Joey growled, "Don' gim'me dat! Dere's no redeemin' qualities 'bout 'im. Moneybags is discriminatin', decievin', dominatin' mean old lyin' bas-"  
  
HONK  
  
"Are you kids getting on here or do I have to wait for hell to freeze over!"

* * *

"So Joey, what took you so long to get to the bus stop? Usually you can't wait to get out of school." Yugi asked as they finally found seats.  
  
It took awhile longer because they were the last to get on the bus, which was rather full to begin with. Somehow they managed to snag a few seats in the back on the driver's side, where people seemed to steer clear of. The only two people there were a shrimpy little kid from their school, who seemed to be engulfed in a book, and some weirdo wearing a large black jacket even though it was seventy degrees out. Duke was grumbling about having to sit next to Hanasaki when a girl on the other end of the bus asked him to sit with her. Tea and Ryou sat behind him next to a broken window, talking in whispers about their classes at high school. Behind them, Yugi and Joey were just getting into their seats when Yugi brought up his question.  
  
"Sorry Yuge. Y'know I got study hall last period righ'?" Yugi nodded. "Well dis guy an' me were duelin' an it took longa den I tought it woul'." Joey's face became a frown before he continued, "Y'know, Yugi if ya wanted to..."  
  
Now Yugi's face was also a frown as he interrupted the blonde, "No Joey. I've told you too many times to count; because of my dueling, so many people close to me have gotten hurt and I don't want any of you to be in danger because of me."  
  
Before Joey could reply, a boy in the seats next to the duo spoke up, "Wow! You're Yugi Motou?! You're my idol! Can I get your autograph?!?! Could you sign my duel disk?!?! You're a legend!! You're..."  
  
"Shut up." Yugi growled, "I'm not doing the whole 'King of Games' thing anymore so shut the hell up!!" Yugi's eyes looked blood red and menacing; his hands clenched tightly on his backpack.. Everyone from the front to the back of the bus stopped what they were doing to look at the pint-sized boy. Yugi had always seemed so cheerful and any threat he uttered was obviously a joke. But by looking at him, all could tell he meant every word of it.  
  
Joey just stared at his best friend not in surprise but more in sorrow. He took awhile before letting out a rasp of a voice, "Y-yugi?" Joey's brown eyes looked around before pointing out the window, "Les' go over to dat park. Jus' ta..." Joey chose his words carefully, down."

* * *

Birds twittered carelessly as a gentle breeze blew through the trees. A light ripple interrupted a pond's stillness. A few toddlers played in the afternoon sun under the watchful eyes of their mothers.  
  
But none of this seemed to be noticed by two silent figures sitting on the benches facing the pond.  
  
Yugi sat, staring menacingly with a coldness not thought possible from his chibi amethyst eyes. Joey watched him hesitantly; ever since Battle City had ended, his pal seemed to get darker and more distant.

At first he thought it was Yami, seeing as that's how the spirit of the millennium puzzle acted regularly. The only problem with that theory was Yugi didn't wear the puzzle anymore, on account of him breaking it into pieces. He had said he'd done that so he would not have to listen to Yami's incessant bickering (as Yugi called it) about 'destiny' and 'fate' and crap.

All of this worried Joey; Yugi was normally happy and cheerful 24/7 and Yami was like a brother to him. He'd never have just gotten rid of Yami if he was in his right mind. Joey had thought of taking him to see a counselor, but the thought of having to explain the millennium items, their spirits, and the shadow realm didn't bode well with Yugi. ("You're going to make them think I've lost my marbles and get committed.") That was about a week ago.

In the last few days, Joey began to stop talking about anything that would make Yugi unhappy. He figured that if his friend had sometime to not think about his troubles, he might realize how stupid he was acting in the first place. _I hope... this works out.___

* * *

At four o'clock Yugi and Joey finally rounded the final corner to his house. Tea and company had taken the bus, so of course they had already been there for about a half hour. Tea turned her head to see Joey and Yugi walking up the sidewalk to them. "Hi guys!" she chirped perkily, but was ignored by the two boys. _Alright, time to get on the mad face!_ "Hey! I was talking to you and it is rude to ignore people when-"  
  
"Sorry Tea," said Yugi, his calmer, sweeter attitude returning like the wind changing directions. "I was a little deep in thought but I'm better now. Though it looks like we traded Ryou for Tristan."  
  
Tristan gave a bark like laugh, "Yeah. I was feeling a lot better, so I decided to go to your house."  
  
Tea looked a little depressed, "Ryou said he had a lot of homework to do so he left for home. I don't know how though. We have almost the same classes and we got all of one assignment."  
  
Duke butted into the conversation, "Cut the guy some slack. He does have to walk someways home, ever since the bus driver decided he'd cut his route, so he probably just wants to go now so it is still light out."

"For once I actually agree with Duke," Tristan said, which in seconds made him the victim of Duke's headlock.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Tea agreed, but still in thought so she was totally oblivious to Duke who was strangling Tristan, Tristan who was biting Duke's leg, Joey who was trying to get Duke off Tristan, and Yugi who was, well, just standing there. None of them had noticed the pair of lavender eyes that had been watching them on the bus, at the park, and now at Yugi's home.


	2. Invitation

Chapter Two- Invitation

-Ryou-  
  
_I'm late. I'm late, late, late. God, Bakura's going to kill me. Please let him be asleep, dead, anything! Maybe he won't ask about where I've been. Oh, what am I thinking?! Of course he'll ask, only after he reads my mind to see if I tell the truth.  
_  
All of these thoughts ran through my head at once. Bakura really will kill me! This morning he specifically told me to be home at three. Well how am I supposed to do that?! Unless I skip my last class, biology, or learn to apparate from one place to another, that won't happen!

I'm beginning to think that he's just saying that stuff like that so he'll have an 'actual reason' to beat me up. Or he wants me to be juvenile like him. Or... I don't know. Maybe I should talk to Yami about him; he usually has good advice. Or he could talk some sense into Bakura. Yeah right. The last time I tried to talk 'sense' into that monster, I got stitches.  
  
I ran up the pavement to my front door when I stopped short. Did I really want to go into that hell house? I took one step back before thinking that it would be best to get this encounter over with now.  
  
I, very carefully, open the door, as though expecting a bomb to explode in my face, and tread just as cautiously into the house.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
It was like a horror movie. A poor unsuspecting, defenseless victim and a mean bloodthirsty killer. Forget 'like', it was!  
  
I walked into the kitchen, sure that Bakura would leap out, scaring me into oblivion. Unfortunately I was right. With the impact of a frying pan on my face, I fell onto the floor.

I stumbled back to my feet, one hand holding my now-bleeding nose, books and bag lay forgotten on the floor. Bakura made a quick punch to the gut and swept my feet out from underneath me.

If I had any air in me, I'd say 'ow', but it was probably for the best. Bakura seemed satisfied by the damage he had caused, and left the room, stopping only at the door to order me to make dinner.  
  
I sat on the floor for five minutes before moving my sore body to a chair. I suppose it could have been worse; Bakura hasn't really hit me since Battle City.  
  
_Battle City.  
_  
There's a lot of gaps in my memory about that tournament. I wish I knew exactly what had happened; for my sake.

* * *

-Normal-  
  
Somehow, someway, Tea and Yugi managed to break up the terrible trio and started a more peaceful conversation. Joey was just in the middle of telling a really funny joke (according to him) about Kaiba, when Yugi gasped and everyone directed their attention to their pint-sized friend.  
  
"What's up Yuge? I was jus at the punchline a my- dauagh!" Joey looked in the direction of Yugi's stare and doubled back. "Daah! It's da guy from da bus!"  
  
"Honestly, Joseph. I thought you'd recognize me," said a strangely familiar voice in the coat.  
  
"Yur voice is familiar... daahaaah!" Joey screeched again.  
  
The man began to take off the coat. "Can someone shut him up with that?" said Marik.  
  
"I was righ'? Oh, yeah!" Joey laughed while making a victory pose.  
  
Yugi however was not as happy. He didn't forget what Marik had done to try and kill him. And him controlling Joey and Tea didn't get Marik any points in Yugi's book. He may look all happy and cheerful but looks can be deceiving. He acted innocent when he was 'Namu' and he could just be doing that again.  
  
"Marik." Yugi looked at Marik with animosity.  
  
"Yugi." Marik returned the glare and the two kept their eyes on each other like a staring war.  
  
"Tristan, Duke." Finished Tristan. "Now that we all know each other, why are you here?"  
  
Marik's glare on Yugi subsided and he turned to face the rest of the gang, "Well actually, I wanted to invite everybody for a little party-slash-sleepover I'm going to have. My sister's friend has a huge house we're staying at and won't mind company."  
  
"Really?" "Awesome!" "I'll go!" The trio of boys agreed first.  
  
Yugi looked hopefully to Tea. If she said she wouldn't go, he could probably get the others to believe he has an eligible reason to not go too.  
  
"Yeah, it'd be fun!" Tea chirped happily.  
  
All the teens again looked at Yugi, all waiting for the "you bet!" or some other affirmative statement. Yugi weighed his choices. On one hand, he could go hang out with his friends... and Marik. On the other hand, if he stayed at home he wouldn't have anything to do. On the other hand, he had some homework to do. On the other hand, it was the weekend. On the other hand- how did he get so many hands?!  
  
Yugi finally accepted the fact that he couldn't think of any logical reason to stay home. Except for that... no it was nothing. "Al-alright. I guess I'll go."  
  
"It'll be fun." Chimed in Duke.  
  
"Oh, yeah, that reminds me. Could someone call Ryou?" Marik made a face. "I'd ask him myself but I'm afraid."  
  
"Of what, prey tell?" Yugi asked, curiosity overcoming him.  
  
"Of, Bakura, of course." Marik said this as though it was obvious. He heaved his shoulders in a sigh, "You don't know the hassle I went though at his house."  
  
"Enlightened us then." Yugi pressed.  
  
"Well when I went over to his house earlier, he had already left for school and his yami is not much of a welcoming committee, if you get my drift." Marik winced at the memory.  
  
"Anything else?" Yugi continued.  
  
"Well um..." Marik said, obviously trying to beat around the bush. "He's uh... kind-of... coming to the party, but don't worry!" Marik hurriedly said, in the desperate voice that said he did not want to loose the few guests he had. "I made him swear to be good."  
  
"How?" rang from the five teens.  
  
"Don't ask." came the reply.

Yugi-tachi nodded fervently, not sure if Marik was still his usual dark self when it came to his requests.

"Well then, I guess I'll see you there," the Egyptian blonde grabbed a piece of paper from his pocket and wrote down an address, "It's here. You should come around six or so." He started walking off when Joey stopped him.

"'Ey Marik?" Joey waved the paper around, "Is dis a place we'll actually find? Or is it just the dumpsta behind McDonalds?"

Marik smirked, "Trust me, it may house some rats, but it's _not_ dumpster."

* * *

"Woah." Joey's voice spoke.  
  
"Ooh." Tea's this time.  
  
"Aaah." Tristan voice.  
  
"Big." Duke finished.  
  
They couldn't help but stare at the house– nay- mansion. It was enormous! They stood at the front gate for what had to be ten, twenty minutes before a familiar voice called out, "Hey Joey, wait up!"  
  
The quartet was joined by a trio; Yugi, Ryou, and Bakura.  
  
"They look petrified." Ryou walked around Joey, waved his hand in front of his face and... nothing.  
  
"Let's leave the trash out here." Bakura said indifferently, as he walked in the gate. "Hm. I could get used to this."  
  
Everybody, now shaken out of the trance, walked to the door and rang the bell. Awe became shock as they found out who the mystery owner of the mansion was...  
  
"Kaiba!" Joey looked bamboozled.  
  
"Mutt." Seto Kaiba grunted in reply.

He moved his gaze from one side of the group to the other, pausing at Yugi, and ending with a frown at Bakura. Bakura looked particularly smug, walking into Kaiba's mansion, just like a thief walking into an unguarded tomb.

"Go in." Everyone began through the doorway, "Except you." said Kaiba. He walked forward towards Bakura, who took equal steps back, as though luring the young business executive into the night. Kaiba stood his ground at the very edge of the front step. The two locked eyes for several seconds before Bakura beckoned Kaiba once more from the house, but Kaiba stood his ground.

At this the rest of the group took as a sign to get inside. Ryou stayed where he was. "Bakura..." At this, Kaiba turned and gave a nod, telling him to go ahead.  
  
"What."  
  
Kaiba turned back around, "Now look, I don't care if Yami is not here now; you behave." With that, Kaiba himself walked in, leaving the door open. Bakura kept his expression until Kaiba was out of sight.  
  
"Pharaoh isn't here," he cackled. "Oh, that makes things so much easier."


	3. The Party

Chapter Three- Party  
  
-Ryou-  
  
I turned to glance at Bakura and Kaiba before going inside. I didn't like the idea of leaving the two of them alone to talk things out. But Kaiba nodded to me to go forward, so he seemed to think he knew what he was doing.

((_Like he's even known what he should be doing._))

((Don't scare me like that!!!))

((And what did Kaiba want? Don't tell me he just kept you out there to have a conversation about the weather.))

((_What do you think? He told me to behave._))

((Funny. I thought Yami would tell you that...))

((_Mr. Kiss-my-ass Pharaoh has decided not to grace us with his presence._))

((Nani?))

((_He's not here, baka._))

My yami cut off our connection, but he wouldn't have heard anything anyway. _Yami's not here?_ Why? Why would he leave? Especially with the whole 'Bakura' thing?!

As the two of us had mentally conversed, we walked into a huge room with a jumbo-screen TV, games, and every kind of party food known to mankind.

Yugi and Joey were at the PlayStation2 with Mokuba, apparently deciding which game they should play.

Ishizu and Tea were talking about clothes, make-up, boys, and whatever else girls talked about.

Duke and Tristan looked like they started with Twister but ended up wrestling each other. Marik was standing next to the twister game/wrestling match, cheering on the two competitors.

That left Odion to the snack table to 'pig out', something I seriously doubted he did that often.

Bakura's voice in my head brought me back to our conversation.

Why on earth am I... hanging out with you? I came to get away from my boring everyday life and yet here I am, talking to my worthless 'partner'.

Bakura's eyes turned a darker hue as he mumbled, "Later" and went off to see his partner in crime, Marik.

Bakura was right; that was the reason I had come too, so I walked over to see how Yugi, Joey and Mokuba were doing.

"...what do you mean? A'course we can play baseball!"

"But Joey, baseball is two player and there are three of us."

"Mokuba's got a good point, Joey. How about snowboarding?"

"No, Motocross!"

"Uh, hey guys." I said, trying to get rid of the timidness that was in my voice. "Need a fourth player?"

Joey's smile perked up. "Yeah Ryou! You can play, but you had better choose which game or we'll be here all night."

"Technically, you'll be here all night regardless of whether or not we can pick a game." Mokuba pointed out. _He's definitely his brother's brother; Kaiba wouldn't waste a chance to bug Joey either._

"Dat's not what I..."

"How about snowboarding?" I suggested, breaking up the potential fight.

"Yeah!"  
  
-Bakura-  
  
As I walked over to Marik, yadonushi joined Yugi and company. It may be difficult to do what I was about to do but lady luck must have the hots for me because that old 'pharaoh' has not decided to grace us with his presence. This has got to be the most perfect opportunity to get the millennium items that I've had in the past five thousand years! I have two already, the ring and the eye, and here I can get three more, the rod, the necklace and the prized millennium puzzle. Just too easy.

Way too easy. It bothered me, that after my second attempt at stealing little Yugi's puzzle, Yami was nowhere to be seen. What? Was he taking a leave of absence for a week or two? I'd doubt it. That spirit is too damn protective of his vessel. He'd never leave him alone and unprotected, not in his right mind. And that was what worried me. Did he have a trap set, that by stealing the items here, I would set off? He was a puzzle. And I'm not just comparing him to one. He was literally a puzzle. I should know. I had to seek refuge in that God-forsaken place when I lost the duel to Yami Marik.

For the love of Ra, why don't I think about these things when I start making plans to theft, instead of now, when my plan- half-baked as Ryou would say- was about to take place?

_I'll tell you why. When you hear something about the millennium items- anything- the rest of that thick head of yours goes on cruise control. That's why._

There's only one thing I hate more than pesky, little mortals telling me off: pesky, little voices in my head telling me off. Ryou tells me (when he's not afraid to anyway) twenty-four/seven that I don't think things through- like my plans to steal the millennium items. I don't need myself to tell me that too now.

Which reminds me: I really need to get disciplining that boy. He has some nerve, telling me I don't think. I really have to disagree. I may not be a forward-thinker but I do think... eventually. I've always been the spontaneous type when it came to thinking. Such as when I was facing Slifer the Sky Dragon I realized that it had probably been a bad idea to slice up my arm. I can't help it! For the love of Ra, I haven't had a body of my own for the past millennia; how am I supposed to remember that a person can die from blood loss? I haven't had blood to worry about for eons. And now Ryou says it's a health issue.

Why the hell was I listening to my worthless 'partner', anyway? He can worry about his blood, I worry about the items and the world worries about staying in orbit. Everybody's happy.

Ugh, I have got to stop having these long conversations with myself.  
  
-Normal-  
  
Yugi and Joey continued with the game of snowboarding as Mokuba went to find Kaiba and Ryou went to see how the match between Duke and Tristan would play out.

"So Yuge..."

"Don't even start Joey," interjected Yugi, obviously knowing what his blonde friend was thinking. "I came here to enjoy myself; not talk about dueling."

Joey looked thoughtful, "What about Yami?"

"I just said I didn't want to talk," muttered Yugi, not looking up from the game.

"You said you didn't want to talk about dueling. You didn't say 'I don't want to talk about Yami'." Joey looked happy at finding the loophole in his friend's mood.

Yugi rounded on Joey, "Well isn't that the same thing?! Yami could never keep his damn mouth shut about dueling or 'destiny'! So why not put them in the same category!"

"But Yugi," Joey was shocked. Yugi never talked bad about Yami like that, they were friends. Better than friends; they were like brothers. What was wrong with him? "Yugi, you and Yami... you're closer than you an' me. Why is your friendship dying now, when we've got our peace?"

Yugi turned his eyes downcast, "Peace or no peace, sometimes friendship just dies."

"Really? Sounds like an interesting subject." Joked Marik. He had had enough of the match; it's only so funny to see two losers to fight over a girl before the dialogue stays the same. "Do tell."

Yugi's wavering mood turned to anger again, "And you, just, just... die would you!?" Yugi huffed off to the bathroom, leaving Joey and Marik alone.

"Well, that went well."

* * *

-Yugi-  
  
"Just... die would you!?" After that I angrily stomped to the bathroom. I slammed the door shut before putting my ear to it to listen to my two 'friends' talk about me.

"Well... that went well."

"What's wrong with him?"

_What's wrong with me?! Why does everyone assume that I'm the one with the problem?!_

"Well Yugi..." Joey's voice trailed, "after Battle City, he's become very... detached."

_That's a really nice way to say it; thanks Joey (not). _

"He's begun to think that all of us are in danger because he duels, so... he quit."

"What about Yami?"

_Who freakin' cares about Yami! He was Pharaoh five thousand years ago! Not now! Get with the times! _

"Well, he did try to talk to Yuge, but he got fed up, Yugi that is, and well... broke the millennium puzzle."

"How's that dealing with his problems?"

_Again with the 'problems' thing. I still think what I thunk before: I'm right, they're wrong. Though it is fun to see what they think up to bring me out of my 'depression'. Possibly the only joy I have left in life. _

"I dunno. I've tried everything that I can think of and... nothing. I just don't think that it's even worth trying anymore. You saw how he acted on the bus; the Yugi we knew is not the Yugi we know now. I'm thinking he's lost it."

_Now I've lost it, and I'm not worth it!?! Well isn't that nice! Some friend I've got! _

"Should we talk to him or something?"

_Oh this is gonna be good. Will it be the 'oh, Yugi, it's not 'your' fault' speech or the 'you know you miss beating Kaiba's butt' speech? Or maybe it's my favorite one, the 'don't you miss Yami and your _important_ conversations' speech. Miss Yami? Like I'd miss fire in hell. It's not like I don't hear what he'd be saying to me anyway; the problem is I can't just break a puzzle into pieces to get Joey to leave me alone._

"I don't think so. It hasn't done any good the last dozen times that I've tried, so why now?"

I heard the sounds of the rest of the party. If no one was going to give me my lecture, I may as well just go out and enjoy myself.

_And do what? Who would you hang out with? Bakura? Odion? Kaiba? You want someone who doesn't care about you; is that it? _

I paused in turning the doorknob.

_Who was that- Yami? I told you to get out of my head, so scram!_

Silence answered me.

I had just imagined Yami. Did that mean I missed him? I say I don't... but then I do bring my deck around even though I say I won't duel. Does that mean... No. I'm just imagining him because I am not used to being able to think on my own without... him. I'm confused. Do I hate him or miss him?

At that moment my thoughts were interrupted by what sounded like a person collapsing on the door. I completely forgot about the party! What was happening out there?

Opening the door, I took a deep breath. The air had grown tremendously heavier; my lungs felt like they'd burst under the pressure. The room had a dark blue/purple cloud fogging my vision. I took a second deep breath as I sunk lower to the ground.

The Shadow Realm was here. But who? And why?


	4. Shadow Duel

Chapter Four- Shadow Duel

-Bakura-  
  
Ah, I love the smell of the Shadow Realm in the evening. Just as much as I love torturing these pathetic fools from dawn until dusk. I grinned as I watched the Kaiba brothers faint first from the pressure of the air.  
  
_Wonderful.  
_  
Yugi's pathetic friends fell next, but not before giving me looks that could kill.  
  
_Please. Who do you think invented that look?  
_  
The Ishtars, plus Odion, were able to stand the change in the room and decided to charge me.  
  
_Pathetic.  
_  
I used the power of the ring to throw them back to the walls. Marik was the only one who was able to move after the impact. At this point I remembered that Yugi wasn't in this room at the time.  
  
_Best give him an invitation to my party. Wouldn't want it to go down in history that I was unfair to my opponents.  
  
...Too late for that.  
_  
I shoved Marik against the bathroom door; giving Yugi my invite and getting Marik out of my hair. The small boy stumbled into the hall, which was when I first noticed that he didn't have the puzzle. He was looking around; obviously he hadn't seen me yet.  
  
_Well now what. I've got him here, but no puzzle. But I need him to be alive for me to use the puzzle, so no wrath. Maybe I could just torture him until he agreed to give me the puzzle if I let him go get it.  
_  
"Where is it?" My voice was deep with anger at the tiny boy in front of me.  
  
He looked up to where my voice came from, "Wh-who said that?"  
  
I walked up to him before kneeling down to see his face and held his chin in my hand. "Your worst nightmare." The look of fear in his face was satisfying enough to me, but I still wanted something from him and the desire would not be quenched by merely fear. "Now, tell me where the puzzle is, while I am still asking you politely."  
  
"I-I don't have it here. Ju-just let me go, please?"  
  
"_Please_. You don't beg an angry thief. You obey them when they're still considering letting you live."  
  
"But... I don't..."  
  
I sighed, "Clearly I am getting nowhere this way so we'll play things your way. We duel. I win and you give me the millennium items. You win and," I sighed here again, "I'll give back your friends souls and I won't bother you again."  
  
Yugi looked like he'd faint and he did. Hell, if that's not a sign of submission, then I don't know what is. "Heh, guess I win."  
  
"Guess again," challenged a new voice.  
  
Ugh, come on. I practically get what I want and then some upstart has to come in. "If I'm going to fight someone, I usually like to see their face, so lets see yours."  
  
A solitary figure emerged from the fogged room, and I almost fell over laughing. Of all the opponents I could fight for the right to the millennium items I get the easiest. My 'partner'. Ryou.  
  
-Ryou-  
  
"If I'm going to fight someone, I usually like to see their face, so lets see yours."  
  
_Okay before anyone says how stupid I am, let me save them the trouble: this has got to be the most stupid thing I've ever done, aside from putting the ring back on after Tristan threw it away. Let no one ever say that I was smart because this proves it wrong.  
  
_When I stepped forward, the look on my yami's face was like Christmas coming early. Though I couldn't blame him, out of all the opponents he could have fought, I had to be the weakest. Well except for Mokuba, but Kaiba wouldn't let him fight anyway.  
  
"Heh, yes. I really love this kind of fight. Surely Ryou you haven't forgotten that you don't have a spare deck." He chuckled happily.  
  
"Of- of course I do." I lied.  
  
((_Don't lie like that, yadonushi._))  
  
I looked down, dismayed. It was true. The only deck that I had was the one Bakura had in his grimy hands. I didn't think I needed another one. I doubt that even Yugi has a spare...  
  
Yugi. I bet he still has his deck with him even if Yami isn't here. I saw the belt that he would store his deck in during Battle City. Without explaining my actions, I knelt down to my pint-sized friend and retrieved his deck.  
  
"Relying on others? That's not what I taught you."  
  
I looked up, rebelliously, "Yes, well, I haven't exactly been agreeing with what you've been 'teaching' me."  
  
Bakura looked slightly taken-aback; I had never spoken back to him when he was beating me or stealing the items. ((_Rather surprising, Ryou._))  
  
((No one's more surprised than me, believe me.))  
  
Bakura grunted, "So lets work out the details here..."  
  
"You already settled that," I smiled. Hey if I was going to lose my mind, I may as well go out with a bang. "I just want your assurance that when I win, you give back everyone and don't bother me again."  
  
Bakura cocked an eyebrow before his mouth returned to the normal sneer, "You have the word of a thief."  
  
((Yeah, that _really_ helps.))  
  
-Normal-  
  
Bakura growled. His weak partner never spoke back to him; at least not recently. _Must be from hanging around these resistant fools so much. I'll have to 'discipline' him when this is through._ The yami pointed to the table at the center of the room, "We duel there." His better half only nodded a reply. After his brazen demand to duel, there wasn't much left in Ryou except fear.  
  
They both took the decks they'd be using and began to shuffle them, Ryou clumsily and Bakura with a vengence. He had lost all care in regards to fairness and was now out for widespread revenge. Even if it meant fighting his 'vessel', just so long as someone felt his wrath.  
  
The twin albinos set their decks down at the same time, drawing five cards. Ryou couldn't help but think that his yami had yet another advantage over himself. _I've never dueled with these cards! I haven't really seen Yugi duel before, just the snipets that Bakura let me see. I don't really know what strategies to use._

Ryou's hand- Gamma the Magnet Warrior, Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts, Dark Magician Girl, Spellbinding Circle, Swords of Revealing Light.  
  
Bakura's hand- Destiny Board, Dark Necrofear, Spirit Message 'L', The Portrait's Secret, The Earl of Demise.

The dark chuckled, "The first move is mine," he draws, "Hm. I summon The Portrait's Secret... in attack mode! I end my turn. I sure hope I'm not too hard on you yet. There's much more to come!" He finished with a smirk.  
  
Ryou gulped. He knew it probably wouldn't take much to be too hard on him. But Yugi used these cards; maybe some of his luck would rub off on Ryou. "M-my turn," he tried (and failed) to sound confident as he drew. _I should probably attack now. I most likely won't get that chance later._ "I summon Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts. Now attack his monster! please." Gazelle's claws ripped through the canvas as a chunk of Bakura's life- points were torn to shreds too.

* * *

"Attack the Portrait's Secret!" Gazelle was summoned and destroyed the fiend monster with ease.

Bakura didn't look as happy, he looked like the usual arrogant person he was when he was fighting Yami. More accurately, when he was losing against Yami.

* * *

_What was that?_ thought Ryou. _Am I losing it? I mean, maybe I'd like Bakura to be worried and fear me, or at least fake it so I have some confidence._ Ryou shook his head to clear it. He needed to be focused for this. No wishful thinking. "My turn is over."  
  
Bakura kept an evil grin plastered on his face as he drew his next card. "HAHAHAHA! Just what I needed!" Ryou jumped as his darker half played his next card, "It's Shallow Grave. With this magic card, each duelist may summon one monster from their graveyard in defense mode. Hence, The Portrait's Secret is revived."

He chuckled deeply, before continuing. "But that is not all! For now I sacrifice this monster to summon a stronger one in its place; rise up, Earl of Demise!" The creepy portrait was replaced by an even creepier duke. "Now Earl of Demise attack! Wipe out his pathetic excuse for a monster. He-he, I end my turn."  
  
Ryou shook with fright. It didn't matter what he did, it still wasn't enough for his yami. Maybe he should just quit now. He'd done enough already, hadn't he? _I doubt anyone expected me to challenge Bakura, especially last one turn, right?  
_  
((_So you're just going to give up and leave 'them' hanging, huh?_))  
  
Bakura's voice rang through Ryou's head. His friends. He couldn't leave them here. And... they wouldn't leave him.  
  
((Not a chance.))  
  
Ryou drew. _Beta the Magnet Warrior._ _What to do, what to do, what to... ah!_ "I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior in attack mode!"  
  
"Math not your best subject?" Ryou drew a breath; had he messed up? "I understand. A lot of pressure. Tell you what; you're weak and pathetic so, I'll help. You can change the position of your monster if you want, I'm in a generous mood."  
  
Ryou thought. _I'm so worthless that I have to depend on my yami to get me out of things. HE doesn't think I'm worth enough to duel him without help._ "No. After all, you've always taught me to depend on me and me alone."  
  
"Cocky."  
  
"Not really," Ryou said, "I wasn't finished with my turn yet. Now I activate the magic card, Swords of Revealing Light. That will hold you off for..."  
  
Bakura interjected, "three turns. Yes I know what the damn card does. You just got three extra turns before your inevitable defeat."  
  
The better half smiled, "_Now_ I end my turn."  
  
Bakura drew his next card. _Ugh. I'm sick of waiting._ _Best go to plan 'B'._ "I sacrifice my Earl of Demise for the Dark Ruler."  
  
"Is that the best you can do?" coaxed his other.  
  
The dark shrugged, "At the moment. I end my turn."  
  
Ryou drew the next card. _Alpha the Magnet Warrior._ _That looks familiar. Hey! The three magnet warriors! Aren't they able to fuse together for a really strong monster?_ "I summon Alpha the Magnet Warrior in attack mode! That's all." He finished unceremoniously.  
  
Bakura drew his card, "I pass. There's nothing I can do."  
  
"Nice of you to finally admit that." Ryou drew. _No luck. I should probably summon that last monster that's needed for fusion._ "I summon the Magnet Warrior Gamma. End Turn."  
  
Bakura groaned, "We're getting nowhere with you making the moves; my turn." He drew. "HAHAHA! Just the card I wanted! I summon the Winged Minion!" A little eyeball with blue wings appeared before quickly disappearing.  
  
"What? What happened?"  
  
Bakura laughed, "You don't know what your own cards do. The winged minion is sacrificed to the graveyard in exchange for increasing one monster's attack and defense by 700." Bakura continued chuckling, "But that's not all. I now sacrifice the three monsters in my graveyard to summon the monster known as Dark Necrofear. I also set one card face down." A fiendish monster appeared next to a face down duel monster's card. "Now I'm done. And your swords of revealing light have expired as well."  
  
Ryou took a deep breathe. There was no way he could draw what card he needed now. It was just not possible that he could get the card he needed.  
  
"Help."  
  
Ryou turned to see that Joey had said that. His friends. He still couldn't abandon them. He had to fight for them. He had to believe in the Heart of the Cards.


	5. Renewed Confidence

Chapter Five- Renewed Confidence  
  
Ryou drew with a flourish, before bringing the card to his face, ala Yami. Just what he needed.

"I fuse the three magnet warriors for Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!" Ryou's eyes flashed from the Dark Ruler to Dark Necrofear. _Either would be good. If I attacked the weakest he'd lose more life points._ "Valkyrion attack Dark Necrofear!" The demonic creature was obliterated from the field but Bakura looked absolutely pleased.

"AHAHA! Once again you've fallen into my trap and this time you won't escape!" he cackled. He sounded like he had completely gone off the deep end this time. He activated a magic card, "Here it is: Dark Sanctuary!"

Ryou's eyes all but fanned out of his head. Eyeballs were popping up everywhere, and mouths too! The dark hue of the Shadow Realm turned reddish. Ryou remembered his yami using that card in the duel with Yugi. But what did it do? He couldn't remember. He hadn't gotten the chance to duel with that card; he just knew it wasn't good for him. "Alright, I-"

"Not so fast, I haven't yet finished." Ryou flinched, thinking what could Bakura possibly do now, "I activate Destiny Board. You may carry on."

"Fine, I end my turn," Destiny Board went into effect as Ryou said this. The letter 'I' joined 'F' above the board.

Bakura drew the next card, but Ryou was thinking hard. "Now I-"

"Destiny Board," the light mumbled.

"Nani?"

Ryou didn't look up; he was still thinking, "It spelled...what was it? F-I, F-I, it was F-I-"

"Rrrgh, N-A-L!" his yami roared furiously, "F-I-N-A-L! FINAL!! Damn it, can't you remember what YOUR OWN CARDS do?!?!"

Ryou finally looked up, "I would know what my cards did if a certain someone let me duel with them once in awhile or at the very least LET ME SEE THEM!" he had definitely gotten flaired up at that comment and was beginning to lose his cool. "Ungh, let's just duel."

"Sounds perfect. I summon Earthbound Spirit and activate the Dark Door magic card. During each turn, the duelist is allowed one attack." Bakura spoke slowly to tease his aibou. As long as Ryou wasn't focused, he may as well milk it for all it was worth.

Ryou looked like steam was coming out of his ears. _No, calm down Ryou. You can't beat him when you're all riled up like this. Take a deep breath and think this through. Ryou exhaled. Oh, who am I kidding. I can't beat him now. In three more of my turns he'll win. Three turns._

"Hold up," Ryou protested, "Destiny Board spells one message and when it's done the opposing duelist loses, yes?" _I have to make sure I have this straight._

"Uh-huh," the dark had no idea where this was going.

"And the message is five letters long, right?"

"Ye-es," still didn't get it.

"And each letter is one card correct?"

Bakura finally caught on. Ryou was making the same assumption that Yami made in their last duel. _He thinks Dark Sanctuary is just here to look pretty. Well he's wrong._ "I see where you're headed. And let me tell you: it won't work."

"But, you said-"

Bakura sighed, "Alright, look. Destiny Board spells out a five letter word and each letter is one magic card but with Dark Sanctuary both players are allowed to play magic and trap cards in the monster card zone. So even though I have Dark Door in play," he paused here to take a breath. "I can still have all pieces of the Destiny Board in play. Any questions?" he added dryly.

His other stared at the floor. "No," he said dejectly.

"Good. Now can we finish this before you have another one of these _brilliance_ spazzes of yours." _Ra, if he keeps this up, I'll have to start feeling sorry for him. I really am going soft, damn it._

"Hello?"

"Grr, what!" Bakura was losing his cool now. "Oh, my turn. I end it and sacrifice my Earthbound Spirit to maintain the effects of Dark Sanctuary."

Ryou drew a card. _Alright now. He didn't change the Dark Ruler so I still have a chance to attack it and cause him some damage._ "Okay. I attack your Dark Ruler with my Valkyrion!" He watched expectantly for the monster to be destroyed but was shocked when some sort of spirit ebbed out of his monster and hit him right in the chest.

"Tsk, tsk," his yami corrected him, "Really child, must you make the same mistake of underestimating my-oh, sorry- _your_ deck?"

"The evil ghost of dark sanctuary."

"Ah, yes. You do have a brain," Bakura did a mock 'proud'-smile. It vanished almost as soon as it had appeared, "I hope I do not have to explain what my little ghost friend does."

"I know, I know." _Okay, now what? I can't really attack all that easily... unless I have a second monster! He won't know which one I'll attack with, so I'll have a 50/50 chance to hit him. Hey, it's better than just losing. I can lose with style._ Ryou stared at his hand. He had the Dark Magician Girl, but he'd have to sacrifice a monster to summon her. "I summon Kuriboh in defence mode and end my turn." The third letter appeared on the Destiny Board, 'N'.

"Good," he drew yes I think we know that. "Alright, I set one card face down and end my turn." The Dark Ruler disappear; it being the only monster on Bakura's side of the field. Ryou drew, "I sacrifice my Kuriboh to summon the Dark Magician Girl." The little butterball disappeared and in its place was a relatively cute female magician. She gave a little wink before taking her place beside Valkyrion. _I can't risk attacking with Valkyrion. I'd lose half of its attack points from my life points, and that's all I have left!_ "Dark Magician Girl attack with-"

* * *

Yami, "Gamma the Magnet Warrior- attack now!"

Bakura, "You've triggered my trap card- Dark Spirit of the Silent! This card instantly stops your monster from attacking me. Did you honestly believe I'd let you attack my life points directly, Yugi?" The card was activated and out of it came another spirit; it hit the Magnet Warrior in its tracks. "Once my trap card stops your warrior, it will cause your Dark Magician Girl to attack."

Yami gasped, "No! If my Dark Magician Girl is the monster you possessed, I'll lose more life points!"

* * *

Ryou shook his head. _That... why am I remembering that? Wait. If he's used that card in the past, what's to stop him from doing that again?_ "No. I-I end my turn." The fourth letter appeared, 'A'. _Why didn't I do anything? Is sitting around really a good choice? I'll have to deal with this now, no matter whether it was a good or bad choice._

Bakura looked surprised, "You do nothing? You do realise that you now have one turn left to beat me?"

His light only nodded.

"Your funeral. I draw." Bakura announced, "I summon the Souls of the Forgotten and sacrifice it for Dark Sanctuary." He looked serious now, "This is your last turn you know. You had best make this count."

_He's right. If I don't do anything this turn, I'll lose. But what can I do? If I attack with either monster that ghost will attack me and I'll lose. Even if I could attack without the ghost I still couldn't destroy all his life points in one shot._

Ryou looked up. _Maybe attacking his life points first is the wrong approach. He can control my monsters with Dark Sanctuary. That's it!_

"I draw," he did, 'Yami' style once more, "I activate the magic card Pot of Greed. With this card, I can draw two more cards from my deck." _Please let them be the ones I need._

Ryou shut his eyes. Everything depended on this draw. If he got the cards he needed, his friends would be alright. If he didn't- no, that wouldn't happen. He would win.

The light drew his cards. "Not get what you wanted? But I suppose an amateur like yourself couldn't possibly..."

"I activate the magic card Shisha Sousei! So now I can revive the monster known as Dark Necrofear!" Bakura's monster revived on Ryou's side of the field. The dark creature's piercing stare rested on its former master. The evil Dark Sanctuary faded as Dark Necrofear took center stage. "Now that Dark Sanctuary is no longer in effect, you have to get rid of one of your magic or trap cards."

Bakura gave a deep, frustrated growl. The tide had definitely turned on him. If he had to destroy a card though, it should be, "Dark Spirit of the Silent, be gone!" The face down card flipped to show yet another ghastly ghost before it was destroyed. "It doesn't matter. I've gotten out worse situations than this before and I'll do it again."

The light smirked, "Not if you don't get the chance. I activate the magic card Mystical Space Typhoon. With this magic card I can destroy one magic or trap card on the field and I choose- The Dark Door!" As the card activated, a great wind sucked away the chosen card.

Bakura's eyes grew wide. _No, this can't be! I should have won by now! I have nothing to defend me and I'm staring down three fierce monsters!_

"Attack Valkyrion!" Bakura yelped in pain as he lost a vast amount of life points. "Now, Dark Necrofear, finish him!" Bakura gave another cry of pain as his life points dropped to zero.

"This duel..." the dark coughed through pale lips, "is over." 

Bakura couldn't believe this had happened. How could he lose to Ryou, his partner, of all people? Bakura could not continue to speculate as the shadow realm consumed his body. "This is cannot be over! I will.." but whatever he will do remained unknown for the time being. The last of the evil spirit of the millennium ring faded with the darkness he had brought.

Slowly the other partygoers awoke from their deep slumber, each wondering what had happened. Joey was the first to speak, though it was a jumble of words thrown together.

"Wha. I dun... the shadow realm... and ring... dark, no, really dark... Yugi! Oh Yugi, you must have saved us from..."

"No I didn't," Yugi whispered, not as angry as he was curious. After all, who besides him had been able to drive away the realm of darkness?

"Ryou," pointed Duke. He had noticed the two decks spread out on the table where the albino boy was sitting. "How?"

Ryou himself was bewildered now that he had time to think about it. "I don't know. I guess because I have the millennium ring, it didn't affect me as it should."

"But it's gone now!" Mokuba pointed out.

Ryou saw that the younger Kaiba brother was right. "Oh, yeah. I guess when Bakura was beaten.."

"You beat Bakura. Wow." Joey looked in awe at his albino friend. _Guess he ain't so much a pushova, when he's got somethin' to fight fer._ "Well, either Bakura's losin' his touch or Ryou's gotten a whole lot betta!" Joey fell to his knees in reverence, "I am entirely in your debt."

Ryou looked uneasy at Joey and backed away, "No that's okay. You guys have helped me tons in the past; it's alright."

"But just helpin' and lifesavin' are two different things!"

"No! It's fine!"

"No, it's not!"

"Joey!"

Marik raised an eyebrow, "So... should we stop them and watch a movie, or move them and watch a movie?"

Tea whispered behind Marik, "How do you propose we 'move' them?"

"I have some dog biscuits. We can lure the mutt away."

Joey was about to make a rude remark but instead chuckled, "You do realise this don't you?"

Kaiba looked down at him, "Realise what?"

"You _owe_ Ryou. Owe. O-W-E. That's where the one person does something nice because someone else saved their freakin' soul," the blonde smirked.

"Like what?" the executive asked boredly.

Joey held out his hand, "How 'bout some dough? I know you could spare a few _hundred_."

And so began the real party, starting with the rather one-sided shouting match between Joseph Wheeler and Seto Kaiba.


	6. Aftermath

Chapter Six- Aftermath  
  
After all that had happened the night before, it was no wonder that the partygoers slept in. One by one they each opened their sleepy eyes, only to quickly shut them at the unwanted sunlight. Marik was the first to make any kind of movement other than blinking.

"Ugh," he groaned as he made his less-than-cheerful way out of the room, "Whoever's idea it was to watch all three of those lion movies has hell to pay."

"Morning sunshine," Ishizu sarcastically mumbled, before burying her face into her pillow.

Marik would not be silent though, even with the rather dead audience he had, "You know if we all went with my plan and watched The Drew Carey Show all night long we wouldn't have fallen asleep out of boredom."

Now Mokuba had to put his two sense in, "But we'd still fall asleep.."

Marik turned to see younger Kaiba; his eyes looked bloodshot, a lot like how his more evil side was. The other bedridden people even looked expectant for his face to stretch out like a bad hologram system does. "No.. not you. I've had to put up with your crap since I got here and I'll not put up with it anymore. No." He stomped out of the room muttering about younger brothers and how annoying they are.

Ishizu rolled over again, "Don't worry. He's always like that in the morning when he's been over at someone's house for," she paused to think, "about a week and one of the hosts acts like him and is a younger brother. It usually goes away after about five minutes."

Huge anime sweatdrop.

Yugi looked apprehensive to Marik, "It's not like we could have. After all, Mokuba shouldn't watch Drew; he's too young."

"Yugi, you should go apologize." said Mokuba.

"What?! What did I do?"

Kaiba groaned, "You told him to die and you still accused him of being a bad guy, after he invited you here. He deserves an apology."

The tri-haired boy sighed; he already had Joey on his case, now Kaiba was butting his big corporate head in. And the problem was he was right. He had wrongly accused Marik and should apologize.

"Oh, alright." He got up from his bed and made sure he was presentable or at least as presentable as he could be in ducky p.j.'s. He strutted out of the room to the kitchen. Just because he was apologizing didn't mean he had to be mushy about it. _Just say 'sorry', grab a glass of juice and get out. Sorry, juice and out. Sorry, juice and out._ He nodded in agreement before walking into the kitchen.. and bursting into laughter.

* * *

"Oh, don't worry Marik. In a few years we'll all laugh about this," Yugi spoke through choking laughter.

"Oh, why wait, you sure haven't!"

Yugi continued laughing in hysterics as he kept cleaning the kitchen. Somehow, Marik had managed to spray about a half of a carton of orange juice all over the floor around the fridge and on himself. He swore that he was just shaking it like the carton said, but Yugi did have his suspicions.

"Ah-ha,hehahaha, so, hehe, are you sure you didn't do this on purpose, haha?" Yugi couldn't stop laughing. After all, the sight of orange juice flying all over Marik is obviously something to go in the freeze-frame memory book.

Marik glared at him, "If I wanted to see orange juice in flight it would be at someone else's expense, either that or I'd find a way to watch this myself." He started looking around, "Wonder if Kaiba's got this place bugged."

"I sure wouldn't put it past him," murmured the tri-haired boy.

Marik, lost in thought, turned to face him, "You say something?"

"Oh, no nothing," Marik turned back to himself, obviously trying to think up a new plan to torture somebody. Yugi remember why he'd gone into the kitchen in the first place, "Um, Marik," Marik turned back to him, "well, sorry."

"Huh? For what?"

"For still accusing you to be the bad guy, and to tell you to die, and saying I'd get back at you for always picking fights with me and... Yami." finished Yugi.

The Egyptian blonde nodded, "Yes, well I- hang on, you said you'd get back at me?"

Yugi pursed his lips, "Oh, must have just thought that one. Heh heh."

"Heh heh," Marik repeated sarcastically, "Well, I guess I accept your apology, after all I've done so much bad stuff, I'm kind-of... in debt. But there was something I was hoping to ask you personally about-"

The pint-sized boy scrunched up his face, "Does it start with a 'Y' and sound like 'ami'?"

"Well..." Marik dragged out, "yes. You seemed really bugged when Joey asked, and I wanted to hear your side."

"Oh, is that all," Yugi couldn't help but question. Everyone 'just' wanted to hear his side and then convince him he was wrong.

"Um... yes that is all," Marik repeated.

"There isn't really that much to tell. I got fed up with Yami and I don't want my friends in danger anymore." Yugi shrugged.

Marik held up his hands, "Back it up a bit; what's this thing about Yami? Didja wake up one morning and find out you really couldn't charge him rent so you just booted him out?" Marik tried out at a humorous statement to keep this conversation intact.

Yugi pouted, "Yeah, Joey tried the comedian approach, too- it didn't work then either." Yugi dusted himself off as he got up.

The older of the two also got up, "If you say so, pint." Marik again went into thought. Joseph's right. He's like a wall. Must have gotten that from the Pharoah; he always was an- airhead. A hand waved in front of his face. "Huh, Yugi?"

"Good guess, but no, my brother." Ishizu had walked in, the signs of fatigue still showing in the Egyptian woman's face. "How did your little chat with Yugi fare?"

Marik gave a sigh of defeat, "It went out the window, didn't figure out anything new."

"Oh, well there's always tomorrow."

* * *

"Hi bye, great seeing you, has been awhile, this time make it longer, I would like the peace and quiet, and mutt give me that toast."

Slam

Tea scoffed as she picked up her things from the ground, "Well that was really rude. DON'T EXPECT ME TO BE COMING AROUND ANYTIME SOON, 'CUZ I WON'T!!!"

The boys also straightened themselves out after being thrown out of the Kaiba mansion. "Man, who'dda t'ought Kaiba had da strength ta toss us all out in one go?" Joey scratched his head. In the frenzy they had all managed to make themselves look presentable, more or less.

Ryou's outfit comprised of a light-green button down shirt and his long flannel pajama bottoms.

Duke and Tristan didn't have the chance to change at all, so Duke had long nightshirt on and pants with dice on them while Tristan had a Smiley face shirt with his boxer shorts on.

Joey wore a white shirt that said 'King of the World' and had on Tristan's pants because of the rush.

Tea and Yugi managed to get dressed in time but Tea's hair looked like she just got out of bed and Yugi's drooped because of lack of hair gel. "Man I don't know about you's guys but I wan' this whole clothes issue worked out." Joey moaned.

Tristan yawned, "I really don't care right now, I just want to catch a few zzz's."

"I hear ya there pal," Duke yawned an affirmative.

"Awrigh' if ya' gonna be like that, fine. I need me some zzz's, too." Joey said, finally giving in.


	7. A New Tournament

Chapter Seven- A New Tournament  
  
Yugi tossed and turned under the covers of his bed. "No, no what are you, no, no..."

* * *

Yugi stood in a dark void, all alone. "Hello, is anybody here? Joey? Tea? Kaiba?" Yugi spun around at each name, more and more worried. "Guys? Anybody?" Panic dripped from his voice. Then, a shadowy figure stepped in front of Yugi. The shadow spoke but Yugi either couldn't understand or couldn't hear it. It reached out for him as though about to engulf him, "No! Stay away from me! No! No!!!"

* * *

"No, no...stay...away, no, NO!" Yugi shot out of bed, his whole body covered in sweat and shaking in fear. He remembered how he started having this dream ever since the end of Battle City. The dark shadow had never gotten that close though. It scared him. That was the reason, well one of the many, that he didn't want to go to the party. He had been worried he'd have another dream and would scream out unconsciously. He didn't want his friends to ask about it. It would only worry them more, or worse, put Joey on his case again about 'dueling'.

_Yeah, that's it. I should just forget about all this and do something productive. _Growl._ I am a little hungry._ Thinking of food reminded him of Marik and the orange juice and he chuckled. He could always think of that to make him forget.

Yugi got out of bed and went into his bathroom to freshen up before going downstairs. When he got to the kitchen he found an old bagel, three waffles and a new box of cereal. The pint-sized boy chose the cereal and settled on the table before turning on the news.

"...and in local news, a middle school kid apparently discovered a comet. The said-comet is right on course to earth and will strike in 4½ days, thereby causing the world to go into the next iceage. Don't forget shoppers! Next week is the Walgreen's half-off sale, where everything is..."

"Ah, Yugi! I thought I heard you come down!" Solomon Motou appeared at the front of the kitchen door. "You fell asleep almost three hours ago! How are you feeling?" Yugi's grandfather had been asking him how he was feeling since... well, since Yugi got rid of the puzzle and Yami.

"'Lo, grandpa." Yugi talked to his cereal.

Grandpa smiled, "That's my grandson! Oh and you got a letter!" He revealed the letter, which had signs of being hastily crammed back together.

Yugi frowned, "Have you been reading my mail, again?" he looked cross.

The elderly man chuckled with his hand behind his head, "Oh, come on Yugi. I'm a nosy old man, I have to know everyone's business, it's like my job." He sheepishly handed over the letter. "It's from the local supermarket," he began to explain, "They're holding a duel monster's tournament. Amatuer level of course. But they asked if you would at least come, you know, as a little treat to the duelists who are competing."

Yugi glanced at the letter, "I don't have to duel?"

"Nope, you just have to be there! And they said something about presenting the trophy to the winner or something too!"

Yugi again thought, "I'll think about it."

"Ok," the old man left the room.

Yugi left as well. After all he had homework to do. He decided on English Literature first.

'...It was all cold trickery, it was all calculated, it was all enmity... the deadly rivalry was on both sides after all...' -excerpt from A Separate Peace

_Sounds like Kaiba and me. At least on his side, I really don't care anymore._

'...It was surprising how well we got along in these weeks. Sometimes I found it hard to remember his treachery, sometimes I discovered myself thoughtlessly slipping back into affection for him again...' -from A Separate Peace

_That one's like Marik. Why just yesterday I felt like I wanted to kill him and this morning we had such a 'lovely' conversation._

'...I fell without realizing it into the private explanation of the world... what decieved me was my own happiness; for peace is indivisible, and the surrounding world confusion found no reflection inside me...' -from A Separate Peace

_Is that one like... me? _

"I fell without realizing it... my own happiness decieved me... the world showed no reflection inside me... I... fell...zzz..." and with that Yugi fell back into a deep slumber.

* * *

Yugi was again wandering in the dark realm. He called out, "Joey? Tea? Anybody?" Frightened, he curled into a ball, shaking. _Why? Why won't anyone help me?_

Stealthily a dark shadow approached the tiny boy. It reached out, "Yugi..." The voice was so familiar but Yugi was too scared to find out.

With all the strength he had he got up and began to run, as fast and as far as his feet could carry him. He looked over his shoulder and to his surprise the shadow became a blazing fire. The flames grew higher and spread more until there was no escape. "Someone please help me!"

* * *

Ring

For the second time that day, Yugi bolted out of his sleep in a cold sweat. _What's going on? That dream... it's worse._ Yugi shed a few tears remembering the fear he felt in that dream. A fire always scared him. He recalled the fire at the warehouse where he dueled Bandit Keith.

Ring

_Yeah, back when I was deluded that Yami was a good thing to hang onto._ Even with his cynical side talking, the tri-haired boy remembered the determination to save Yami and the puzzle, his treasure. Had he forgotten something important?

Ring

_No of course not. I'm just reminicing on a past that led me nowhere._

Rrrriiiiinnnnngggggg

Yugi snapped back to reality. The phone. He had better answer it. "Hello. Motou residence."

Joey's extra caffeinated voice came through, "Hey, Yuge!! Whatcha doin'?!"

The young ex-duelist yawned, "Ugh, sleeping."

"Have you done your Algebra yet?!"

"Haven't touched it."

"Are you going to do it?!"

"How much caffeine have you had?" Yugi inquired.

Joey, though, didn't hear. "Great!! 'Cuz I don' get it eitha'!! Mind if I come over?! We can be study buddies!!"

"Well..."

The blonde obviously wasn't waiting for permission, just for signs of life, "GREAT!!! I'll be there in a sec'!!"

After five minutes had past, Yugi heard the doorbell ring. _This had better not be a clever scheme to get me dueling again._ A bright smile appeared on his face. _What am I thinking? This is Joey. It can't be clever._ He opened the door.

"Hey, Yuge." The hyperness in the blonde's voice was all but extinct. "What do ya say we study righ' here? I'm feelin' wiped out."

"You know you shouldn't use up all your energy at once with a Coke, Joey-kun." The shorter boy shook his head as he closed the door. "And sure we can work here. I really don't feel like moving either."

Yugi and Joey settled in the living room of Yugi's house. For the next half hour of so exchanging views on their dislikes of mathematics. At that time when Mr. Motou walked in to see how they were doing the teens realised they had gotten nothing done.

"Hey, gramps? We're going to go have a snack, 'kay?"

Grandpa waved his hand for them to go ahead as he was trying to finish a crossword puzzle. "Let's go."

The boys marched into the kitchen to get a soda and chips. Yugi was thinking to himself again. _This has actually gone great for getting nothing done. I hope the rest of the day goes as well._ However the boys did not notice they were yet again being followed around, but this next encounter would not be as fortunate as the last.


	8. Encounter with a Stalker

Chapter Eight- Encounter with a Stalker

Yugi and Joey continued their 'meal' in silence. The blonde decided to break the ice, "So uh, Yuge… how's life ben treatin' ya?" he asked lamely.

"Hmm let's see. An old rival came back and wants to be my friend, I just got attacked by my most persistant enemy, my best friend is bugging the hell out of me, my other rival is helping my friend, though they don't like each other, and now I've been having weird dreams with shadows and flames attacking me and I've got problems with homework…" Yugi started rambling uncontrollably. "… and you weren't supposed to hear that." Yugi finished in a mumble.

But Joey had heard it, "Dreams? What were they 'bout pal?"

Yugi decided it would be easier to tell him than if he tried to cover it up. After all it was just a dream, what could Joey possibly use against him that was from a dream? "Well here's how the dreams went…" Yugi again went rambling. He gave the most desciptive version he could of the dream. "… and that's it I guess. sniff" Remembering what he'd dreamed almost scared him as much as the dream did.

Joey was too deep in thought to notice the sniffle. _Dat shadow. It's gotta be an enemy. After all what decent person is there who could scare Yuge? And with a familiar voice, maybe it's an old enemy._

"Joey? Joey!"

The taller boy scratched his head in embarrassment, "Sorry, Yugi."

"Yes, _sorry Yugi_."

Crash

The teens jumped at the sound of breaking glass. The kitchen window near them was shattered when a person jumped through it. "Hey, what's da big idea? Somebody coulda ben hurt!"

The intruder smirked, "Yes I'll remember that."

The stranger had on black pants with a slate sleeveless shirt and long black vest. His hair was a short shaggy black color that went perfectly with his grey-blue eyes and pale skin. He had on silvery jewelry on his arms an neck and had silver earrings just like Marik's gold ones. He looked about Kaiba's age and height.

"Ugh, you got a name, tough guy?" Joey had no patience.

"Yes. My given name is… Ananias Tatsu."

-Joey-

_Ah, man what kind of freak is this that jumps through glass windows? I mean c'mon it looks fun enough but it hurts like hell to get out all the little shards._

The intruder walked forward to Yugi and me. "So sorry to interrupt your little _conversation_." His voice sounded slick and lithe, it curved like a snake. Although he spoke quietly, his voice rang through out the whole room. He held up his hands as though to stop us from moving, even his movements were smooth, "Don't worry, I'm not here to fight. At least not with you anyhow."

I growled, "What's dat suppose ta mean?"

His calm expression became coiled and he looked pleased as an animal who had cornered its prey, "It means that, as long as you do as I say, we don't have to be enemies." He made his way to the fridge, and selected something to drink himself, "I hope you don't mind but I've had a long and trying day on a wild goose chase so I'm rather parched." He sipped before walking over to us again. Yugi stepped forward.

"You've got no right to be here! And I hope you plan on paying for the window you broke!" Yuge's arms folded across his chest at an attempt to scare the unwanted intruder away.

Ananias took another sip and looked at Yugi, Marik-style, "That window will soon be the least of your concerns."

"Wha'?"

"Heh, you'll find out soon enough. I want you to call Seto Kaiba for me, tell him to meet me at the park in an hour."

The way this guy was telling us what to do had gotten under my skin, "What, ya can't do it yaself? Ya hafta have someun' else make a phone call fer ya?!"

"But of course. I'm a busy young man you see, and I can't be bothered with petty things such as a house call, something your friend Kaiba can agree with." He turned to the window, "Oh, and tell him, don't be late or else…" He crushed the can in his hand before tossing it on the floor. With that, our stalker Ananias leapt out the window he'd come from and landed safely on the road. To my horror, another figure ran out towards him before they both ran off.

"Crap, what have we gotten into this time?"

* * *

-Kaiba-

"… and there's also these reports Mr. Kaiba. What would you-"

I groaned. Couldn't anyone at Kaiba Corp. handle a little work without me breathing down on them, verbally ordering their every move? Not that I couldn't handle it, it was just annoying for me to have such dumb subordinates. "Ugh, I don't care. Figure it out yourselves. I was up all night and would prefer some of my own time."

"Y-yes, Mr. Kaiba. As you wish, sir."

I breathed a sigh of relief as I heard the dial tone. It was true, I hadn't gotten much sleep but that wasn't exactly a result of pulling an all-nighter. No. That was on account of that _party_. I should have never let Ishizu talk me into having those losers over, though she can be very persuasive. Heads out of the gutter, people! As if right on cue, the Egyptian woman entered the room. "Don't you knock? Or do people only learn how to be psychos in Egypt?" I wanted it to sound insulting but it sounded more like what a middle-school kid would say as an insult, or worse, what Wheeler would say.

Ishizu chuckled, "Still under the weather, Kaiba?"

I groaned again, I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Probably from stress or that nagging feeling I've been having that something bad was going to happen. "Possibly. Tell me: where is that insane, psychopathic little brother of yours? I don't want him wrecking the house again."

Ishizu looked at me with those exotic eyes of hers and I knew it was pointless to discuss such trivial matters with her. "Oh he's alright. But there is someone on the phone for you. They say it is urgent."

"I swear if it's another one of my employees, I'll fire him." I picked up the receiver to hear the last person I ever wanted to hear.

"Hey, is dat you Kaiba? Eh, richboy! I'm talking to you! Hey!!"

I had a look of murder on my face when I next looked at the woman before me.

"Well you never would have answered it if I had told you who it was, would you?" She smiled in that all-knowing way that said to talk or I'd be single again. She left the room as I continued answering my call.

"Ggrr."

"Hey thar ya are Kaiba! I t'ought ya'd fergotten me!"

"Unfortunately, you never give me the pleasure, Wheeler."

"Why, ya-" Ah, yes. Teasing the less than great when you're awake is simple enough. But annoying them out of their minds when you're half asleep, well that's just an art. "-an' I'll gettcha an' I'll-" I heard Yugi's voice on the other end, urging him to control himself. That little brat is always ruining my fun. "Awrigh' anyway, moneybags, kind of have this little problem-"

"Get to the point, mutt."

"Argh, it's no time to poke some fun! There's dis guy who came by, some freak named Ananias, and he says he wants to meet with ya inda park in a hour!"

"Why should I care?"

"Because the way he said it, it sounded like he was going to do sometin' bad if ya didn't listen!"

"Ugh, listen Wheeler. Tell your mystery person if he wants to talk with me, to schedule an appointment like everyone else." With that I hung up the phone and went about my business.

* * *

-Normal-

"Ggrr, damn rich kids, think they so great." Joey mumbled as he put down the receiver.

Yugi looked expectantly at his best friend, "Well, what did he say?"

Joey closed his eyes. For a moment he wished that everything was alright, that this was all just a really bad nightmare that he'd wake up from. He wished that the guy who had stalked them, really wasn't as evil as he seemed. He wished that jerk-ass Kaiba would willingly agree to save their world. But most of all he wished his best friend still loved dueling. "He's not coming." It burned at him that someone could be so stubborn that they cannot see what is directly infront of them. _Yeah, that's it!_ Joey ran to the door, only stopping to get his coat.

"Joey where are you-"

"I'm goin' ta get Kaiba, no matter what." With that he rushed out the door toward Kaiba's mansion.

Yugi stepped forward to the door and looked into the sky. Already it had become dark, like the Shadow Realm. There were signs that the rain would come soon and thunder and lightning with it. "I don't like this."


	9. Deadly Duo

Chapter Nine- Deadly Duo  
  
-Joey-  
  
I panted as I rounded another corner. My short-cut wasn't exactly as short as I had planned but it was too far from Yugi's place to turn back and go the normal way. As I ran I noticed that the sky had grown very dark and was reminded of the previous night.  
  
_Kaiba, ya betta be ready ta list'n ta me. Cuz I ain't leavin' til you are too.  
_  
I banged on the front door of his mansion, "Hey open up! I got a bone ta pick wit the losa' who owns dis joint! C'mon out moneybags or I'm gonna- ack!" I screeched as I fell headlong into just the jerk I was looking for. "Awrigh' ya finally decided ta show yaself!"  
  
Kaiba held his head like it hurt before he answered, "Look I'm only out here to tell you to get lost or I'll call the cops." He moved to go back inside, but with his slowness and the caffeine I'd had at Yugi's, I managed to get in between him and the house.  
  
"Ah no ya don' Kaiba! You're stayin' ou' here til I'm done!"  
  
"Would you just shut up! I've had a trying day no thanks to you!" He groaned again as he held his head in his hands.  
  
A familiar dark voice haunted the air, "Now that would be mean of us to fight on a headache, wouldn't it?" The words all but slid off the drops of rain that were now coming down.  
  
A childish giggle emerged as well, "Oh, yes mean." She continued her little giggling.  
  
My temper rose again that day, "Awrigh' who's out dere?!"  
  
The boy named Ananias entered through the gate, "My, my, don't we have a short memory." He looked exactly as he had when he crashed through Yugi's kitchen window except for the new accessory on his arm. It was a duel disk. "But then again, dogs do have a hard time remembering things with their small brains, isn't that right Seto Kaiba?"  
  
Kaiba chuckled, "I rather like this guy. He knows his stuff, doesn't he little Joey?"  
  
I couldn't believe it! _I got two guys talking bad 'bout me! That's like Kaiba times two!_ As the two laughed I could feel myself shrinking out of existence.  
  
The little girl's voice perked up again, "Hm, he's not much of a duelist, is he Anny?" The voice also stepped out of the darkness and revealed a girl who was about Mai's height. She had long hair that was black with purple highlights and a sweet little smile on her face. Her shirt was a bluish v- neck that showed a mark that looked like a starburst on her chest. Her ensemble was topped off with a pair of blue jeans. She smiled again, "Well, what do you think?"  
  
I growled at her which made her jump safely behind the taller boy. "Now, now Joseph, you really shouldn't scare Umi here. She can be a raging fire when she's in the mood."  
  
_I'll show him a raging fire.  
_  
-Normal-  
  
"Grr, I'll show ya someone ta fear!" Joey leapt in an attempt to wrestle with the two enemies before him but the two sidestepped which sent the blonde on a one-way trip to the concrete.  
  
The girl wrinkled her nose in disgust, "He's such a dork."  
  
Before Joey had a chance to retort, Kaiba stepped in between the two feuding sides, "If what I heard is true, you are here for me, not the mutt, so can we get on with this duel. If you can't tell, I really don't have the time or the patience now."  
  
Joey interjected, "Hold it righ' dere Kaiba! I got firs' dibs on dis jerk!"  
  
"You said yourself that he wanted to see me. If he had wanted you, he wouldn't have run off or said to call _me_."  
  
Umi was getting frustrated, "Hey! He's not the only duelist here! I could duel you too!"  
  
"In what lifetime, pipsqueak?"  
  
The three 'irrational' duelists would have continued with their insults back and forth if it hadn't been for Anny, "If you would agree, perhaps we could arrange a tag-team duel." He nodded to Umi, "I and my partner versus two of the highest ranking duelists in the world, yourselves."  
  
Umi's face became puzzled, "But Anny, I thought you only wanted to fight Kaiba?"  
  
Anny's face hardened, "Forget it. After all, it doesn't look like we have the opportunity to just duel Kaiba as planned, not with Joey here." He looked up, "So are you in?"  
  
Joey looked at their foe in disgust, "Na, way, I ain't tag-team duelin' here. Cuz that means if _he_ goes, I do too!"  
  
Kaiba, however, decided to make a deal with the two, "Since this is my house, I should be able to decide any _smaller_ details. Therefore, I propose we do this duel as planned with one exception: both people on one side must be defeated before they lose. That way, I don't go down the drain when Wheeler screws up."  
  
"Who's screws up?! Bring it richboy!"  
  
Anny shrugged his shoulders, "Very well, if that is your desire."  
  
-Joey-  
  
_I hope that I'm jus' makin' a mountin out of a mole hill outta dis tag-team wit Kaiba But it really doesn't matta 'cuz dis is de only way I can fight dis Ananias freak for bargin' in on me an' my best friend._ I looked up at the two new opponents with a look of determination, "So what are we waitin' fer?"  
  
Ananias gave the bad guy trademark smirk and retorted, "Just little-old you, Joseph."  
  
I growled in frustration, "Y'know, fer someone I hardly know, you sure know how ta get unda my skin!" I made another attempt to jump him, but to my surprise my 'partner' Kaiba stopped me.  
  
"Save your energy for the duel, Wheeler. You'll have to make up for me in endurance."  
  
I was glad Kaiba had agreed on working together (even if he made that change in the rules so rudely), so instead of giving him a hard time, I nodded and turned to face our enemies, "Let's go."  
  
Kaiba turned around and walked into his mansion. When he came out he carried two duel disks, one for each of us. "I didn't think you'd had the brains to bring yours."  
  
"Whateva, Kaiba." We stood some ways apart on richboy's lawn before each drawing five cards.

-Normal-

Kaiba's hand- Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Gemini Elf, Stealth Bird, Enemy Controller, Secret Barrel

Ananias's hand- Blue-Eyes White Dragon, White Dragon Ritual, Premature Burial, Burst Breath, Spirit Ryu

Joey's hand- Goblin Attack Force, A Hero Emerges, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Des Kangaroo, Ekibyo Drakmord

Umi's hand- A Legendary Ocean, Tornado Wall, Gale Lizard, Amphibious Bugroth MK-3, Amphibian Beast

"So who's goin' firs'?" Joey asked. _Wonder how we're suppose' ta do dis. I'll bet Kaiba'll just fight ova' goin' firs'; he always's got ta do dings 'is way.  
_  
"Well of course me," said Kaiba.  
  
_Yep.  
_  
Umi shrugged, "I can go last if yall want. And Joey will be before me and Anny second." She pointed to each of them in turn. "So long as that's alright with you, partner."  
  
"Sure." All four players turned on the duel disks as the young CEO drew. Ring of Destruction. He smirked before announcing, "I set one card facedown and end my turn."  
  
The raven-haired boy drew his first card. He glanced at his hand, his expression emotionless, before he announced his move, "I set one card facedown on the field," as he spoke a holographic gigantic card appeared in front of him, "and I summon the monster known as Spirit Ryu." A slinky stylish dragon materialized as well.  
  
Kaiba looked very happy, "Not so fast! For now I activate the trap card called Ring of Destruction, which eliminates the monster you just summoned and takes its attack out of both of our life points!" The dragon was eliminated as a considerable amount of life points were deduced from them both.  
  
Ananias's face didn't as much as twitch, "Very well, I set one more card face down and end my turn."  
  
"Awrigh', let's watc' da masta!" the blonde duelist drew his own card. "I set one car' facedown, an' summon Jurai Gumo!" A huge spider appeared out of the card, and flexed its legs like it had been cooped up in a small cage for too long. "Since no one can attack 'til ever'body has had one turn, I'll end min' here."  
  
"Yes, I suppose that is the best you can do, isn't it Wheeler," Kaiba laughed at his own partner, headache forgotten.  
  
Joey growled, "Hey, in case ya have hearin' problems-"  
  
"Which I wish," mumbled Kaiba incomprehensibly.  
  
"-we're in dis tagetha, so deal wit it!" finished an angered Joey.  
  
Umi looked puzzled, "You guys are on the same side, so... shouldn't you be helping each other out?"  
  
Kaiba scoffed, "Of course not. I'm a very important business executive; I have no time to help people." A soft growling was heard, but Kaiba was too engrossed in the young girl's play to hear it.  
  
Umi's face was brightened with a smile as she drew, "Okay, my move," She, unlike her partner, showed plenty of enthusiasm and pleasure in what her hand showed, "Ooh, yeah! And in my first move! Hehe, I set one card facedown, and I activate the field magic card, A Legendary Ocean!" One card was face down, as the lawn they were on was flooded with water.  
  
"Hn, I was looking for someone to water this anyway. This way I don't have to pay."  
  
"Aargh, is yar cash all ya t'ink 'bout?!"  
  
The young girl grew impatient, "Hello? I'm trying to take my turn here!" She huffed at Joey, who immediately shut up, "I end my turn."  
  
"Which brings it back to me," Kaiba mocked, "I hope that the two of you can still keep up with our skill level."  
  
Anny smirked, "Well, we can try."  
  
"I'm afraid you won't have a chance. You see, we are among the greatest duelist of the age, and you are just some local upstarts. I summon the Gemini Elf in attack mode." A pair of human-like creatures appeared ready to strike. "Now it's time to show you what happens when you mess with the likes of me!! My Elf, Attack!!"


	10. Reckless Dueling

Chapter Ten- Reckless Dueling

"-My Elf, Attack!!" Kaiba's monster, ready to attack, went directly to Ananias and his life points. It was a mere foot away before the raven-haired duelist activated a trap card, just in time to save him from Kaiba's monster's wrath.

"I activate the trap card, Call of the Haunted!!" an eerie card with the picture of a graveyard on it flipped face up, "With this card I can revive a monster in my graveyard. So of course I summon, Spirit Ryu!" The spirit of the dragon ebbed out of the ground before again materializing.

Kaiba laughed, "Hahaha!! It doesn't matter!! My monster is still the superior one!"

"Not if I do this," Anny activated another trap card, "Now I activate Burst Breath. By sacrificing one dragon on my side of the field, I can destroy every other monster on the field whose defense is lower than _my _monster's attack. This will clear the field of all monsters except Umi's." The field now reflected what Anny predicted.

Kaiba growled, "Kisama." _Now what? I have monsters in my hand, but I've already summoned a monster this turn! All I can do is set a magic or trap card and none of my cards can protect me from a direct attack!_ "I set one card facedown, and end my turn."

Ananias looked pleased with the results so far, "My move." He played a magic card, "I'll now use the ritual card, White Dragon Ritual. When I sacrifice monsters equal to or more than four stars, I can summon a creature known as Paladin of White Dragon." Another dragon appeared that looked a lot like Kaiba's Blue-Eyes, except that a white knight was riding it. "Now we'll see who is superior, _Kaiba_. Attack him my beast!"

"Not so fast, tough guy!" Joey interjected, "Ya ferget 'bout me? Las' time I checked, richboy an' me were a team, and teammates protect each otha'!" He flipped his facedown card, "Which is why I activate dis card- A Hero Emerges!"

Kaiba's face twitched, "I didn't ask for help, you dog."

"You weren't list'nen'! We're a team! Now let me finish my move!" Joey turned back to his real opponent, "Like I was saying, I play A Hero Emerges. Dis trap card allows you to randomly pick 'un card from my hand! If it's a magic or trap card it goes ta da graveyard, but if it's a monsta' I can summon it, no matter how many stars its got!"

"So your relying on luck?"

The blonde smirked, "Always have. Now pick!" He held up his hand. _If he picks the middle one or the farthest one on my right I can save Kaiba's keista'. But if not, I'll lose a card I need! Better hope for the best_. "So are ya chickenin' out or what?"

Anny's face was masked as he thought, "If I went with my gut, I'd say the second on the left."

Joey put on his poker face, "Well I'm sure your gut would like you to listen to it…"

"But-"

Joey shrugged, "But nothing, if you really want this card, I won't stop you."

"Hm." Ananias thought. _Well, this is quite a predicament. He might be telling the truth, and that card is actually a powerful monster, or he's bluffing and it's just a magic or trap card. But would he bluff? He says he always takes a chance; if that's true, his poker face must be top notch, along with bluffs. If he can take chances though, so can __I._ "I choose…" his eyes ran over the cards one more time, "The card… on my left."

Joey laughed, "Well, let's see how well you chose. The card on your left, and my right, is none other than-" he placed the card on the field, "-my Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" The mighty black dragon roared at its foe. "Now dat I got a monsta on da field, I can use it ta intacept your Paladin of White Dragon!" The monsters confronted each other only for the Red-Eyes to be victorious. "And your dragon's bu-bye!"

"Very well, I end my turn." The boy still looked unfazed, though through his thoughts he was becoming worried about this duel.

Joey smirked, "Awrigh', my move!" He drew and summoned another monster to the field, "I summon Des Kangaroo in attack mode!" An odd kangaroo with neon boxing gloves took its place next to Red-Eyes. "I hope you don't think that I'm gonna letcha get away wit' attackin' my partna' last turn! Your going down! Guys, get rid of that _freak's_ life points!!"

Kaiba chuckled, "Looks like you've been bested by the weakest duelist here. Lucky you."

The monsters again charged Anny and this time it really looked like he'd bitten the dust, until the waves beneath them raised up to protect him.

"Wha'? What's goin' on?"

Umi's cheerful voice answered him, "Duh, stupid. I'm Anny's partner and I can protect him just as well as you can protect Kaiba."

Kaiba's face twitched again, "He didn't protect me!"

"Uh, whatever. Anyway, now that my trap's in play you can't do diddlysquat!"

Joey pondered this. _A trap card dat can protect da botha dem. Wait! Is it…_ "Tornado Wall?!"

"Yep, I can use Tornado Wall cuz A Legendary Ocean can be treated as Umi the field magic card. Sorta like a new and improved version." _Now we're untouchable, while they are sitting ducks_.

"Ggrrr, fine. I'll end my turn just like this." Joey groaned. _Man, I was dis close ta wipin' him out, an da little brat hadta get in da way!_

Umi drew, "My move. I summon my Amphibious Bugroth MK-3 in attack mode. This card can attack you directly but I really won't need to."

"Oh, why not? Still think I'm dat much a pushova?!"

"Well I do but that's not the reason." She flipped her facedown monster card face up, "I summon my Gale Lizard that I set last turn. Because it was flipped face up, I can send one monster on the field to the person's hand. And I choose your Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Joey swore as he had to remove his powerful monster from the field.

"Hehe, so now I attack your Des Kangaroo with my Amphibious Bugroth!" Joey's monster was eliminated. "Next I attack you directly with Gale Lizard!" Another chunk of life points were destroyed. "I'll just end there, so I give you a chance to live"

"Umi! Why didn't you attack Kaiba?!" Anny, for the first time, showed an emotion stronger than indifference. "He's the real target here!"

"What difference does it make? They'll both be defeated eventually, and I figured you wanted to fight Kaiba yourself." The girl shrugged it off.

Kaiba drew, "It's my turn!" He looked at his hand, "Hm, alright. I activate the magic card, Pot of Greed. Now I can draw two more cards from my deck." Kaiba drew before playing his next card, "The Cheerful Coffin. With its ability, I can send up to three cards from my hand to the grave. _And this is the perfect card to part with. My Blue-Eyes_. "Next I'll play Shisha Sousei, which will revive the monster I just discarded, my ultimate beast, the mighty Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" An extravagant white dragon appeared on the field. It looked so fierce and destructive but also beautiful and perfect. _I can't attack anyway, so I may as well not try._ "I set another monster facedown and one magic card facedown. Now I end my turn."

Anny actually looked mad now, for almost no reason whatsoever. "Ore-sama no turn." He drew his card, but this time, he laughed in hysterics, "Hahahahhahah, I play the magic card Premature Burial! I use it too revive the monster I sacrificed to summon my Paladin, my ultimate monster, my own Blue-Eyes!! Now I want you to sacrifice yourself my beast to destroy Kaiba's monster!!" The two white dragons fired their White Lightning attacks at one another, only for them both to be destroyed. "I end my turn!! Haahahhahah!!"

Umi's eyes grew teary, "Anny? What's wrong? Anny?"

"Hahahahahhhahah!!" Ananias's eyes looked like Marik's when he was possessed by his darker half. "Hehehe, I'm fine!"

"Heh, you heard him, he's fine. So make your move, Wheeler."

The blonde was skeptical. _I don't know 'bout Kaiba, but I had my share a evil mastaminds an' he's definitely evil mastamind material. But oh well, he's gots ta go down somehow._ "Alrigh', I draw!" _Okay, looks like Anny blew whateva cards he's got last turn, so I don't hafta worry 'bout him. But da girl's Ocean card and Tornado Wall'll keep 'em both safe. And with Amphibious Bugroth, it doesn't matter if I summon a monster because it can attack directly. So… I need to find a way to make that card unable to attack._ "I play the magic card, Ekibyo Drakmord! Wit' dis card I can stop one monster from attacking. Afta it's been attached for two turns, it destroys the monsta and goes back to my hand! So I attach it to your Amphibious Bugroth!" _For now I should be a'ight, so long as she doesn't get anotha monsta._ "Dat's all fer now."

Umi smirked, her worries about her partner forgotten, "I knew you were just a weakling. Now's my chance to prove it! I sacrifice my two monsters for the Amphibian Beast!" A monster that could be compared to the creature of the black lagoon appeared where the other two monsters were. "Now I'll attack your life points directly Joey!"

"Hold it!" In a surprise move, Kaiba stepped in. "I play the magic card, Card of Sanctity! With this, every duelist must draw until they have six cards." With the card in effect, each duelist drew until there was six cards in their hands.

Joey drew, and saw what was in his hand. _It figures! I finally get the card that could win us this duel, and I'm about to be toast._

Kaiba also inspected his hand, pleased with the results. _Good. I now have Exchange, but my plan will only work if Wheeler got the card. _"Next I activate my card called Exchange!"

Umi looked puzzled, "Why'd ya do that? It's not like we have any cards you can use."

Kaiba finished his move, "I wasn't worried about you. I wanted to see if little Joey over here had a card worthy of being mine." Kaiba walked over. "So let's see it."

Joey held up his hand, a straight poker face mask on him. He watched Kaiba take a card, a card that could win the duel. For once he was glad that he and Kaiba were working together. _Here Kaiba, take it._ "An' a'course richboy, I get one a your cards." Joey searched through his hand before he saw the most worthless card that was in there and took it. _If you don't win now Kaiba, well, then there's no hope for _you _as a duelist._

Umi perked up again, "So, didja get the card you wanted?"

"I think you have more pressing matters to take care of, like beating Wheeler."

"Attack!" Umi called on the attack again, but this time, it didn't stop, and Joey was the first out of the duel.

The blonde took a deep breath, "Good luck… Kaiba," and then he fainted.

"I think I'll end my turn now, not really much else to do right now."

Kaiba laughed, "I draw! You do realize that by ending your turn so abruptly, you have sealed both of your demises!" He placed the card he got from Joey on the field, "Harpie's Feather Duster! With this one card, I eliminate your Ocean strategy, which allows me to cause you some damage!"

Umi cocked her head, "Duh, stupid. I've still got a monster on the field and you can't attack Anny without me stepping in."

Kaiba laughed, "Don't worry, I'll find a way around your monster. For now I'll play my trap card, The Secret Barrel! Now, each of you loses 300 life points for every card on your side of the field and in your hand. That's about half of your original life points each."

"Yeah, well, I've still got enough to stay in the game." Umi pointed out."

"Soon enough, I'll beat you. Now I flip the monster card I summon last turn, my Stealth Bird! With its effects one of you will lose 1000 life points, and I choose… you Ananias!" The bluish bird took on a stealthy invisible form which attacked Anny unnoticed. Kaiba took a card out of his hand, "Now I activate the magic card Ookazi, which will eliminate the last of your life points!" A fire blazed out of the magic card which engulfed Anny, destroying his last precious life points. "And don't worry, little Umi. I didn't forget about you. For now I activate the Enemy Controller magic card. By sacrificing my own monster, I can take control… of yours!" The Amphibian Beast turned on its owner to follow Kaiba's orders, "Now my beast, Attack!" With that, the last duelist was Seto Kaiba.

Ananias cried out in pain; he had yet to faint, "I will defeat you Kaiba! You have only prolonged your inevitable defeat!!" As he laughed insanely, he ran off Kaiba's lawn and away from the duel site, leaving Kaiba alone to help Joey and Umi.

"Why do I think these losers keep getting me into things?"


	11. A Sense of Duty

Chapter Eleven- A Sense of Duty

Joey-

I blinked a few times to see my best friend running towards me. _Hang on, Yuge? Wat's he doin' 'ere? I was just at Kaiba's fer a duel._ The scene changed to Kaiba's front lawn, and Yugi became a duel monster raging towards me. _Ahh! What's goin' on!_

Normal-

Joey tossed and turned on the couch he was on, until he uncerimoniously fell off. "Ouch! Ah, man, where am I?" He looked around his surroundings to see that the room that he'd just woken up in was the same room he'd woken up in that same morning. "Wha'?" The blonde stood up to get a better view and saw he was right. He had woken up to see the room at Kaiba's mansion that the party was held at.

He saw he was on the same couch where he'd sat the other night after Yugi yelled at him. It was here he had sat to watch Duke and Tristan fight over... well, whatever they decided they needed to fight over. He couldn't help but remember that they had always fought back in Battle City over none other than his own sister. _I'm guessing they'd still be trying to win her affection if ma hadn't decided to go to America and bring sis wit' her._ At first he'd wanted to stop them, after all it was his sister and he was very protective of her. But when he saw how much Tristan fought for her, he decided to let her be. _A guy's gotta have some dreams, that why I neva quit during the tournaments._

Joey looked over at the once-refreshment/once-duel table. _Even though I hate Yugi not being himself, I can't help but think that this experience is bringin' out da best in Ryou. He'd've neva fought Bakura if he knew that Yugi was gonna fight him if he didn't. I think being the only hope for some of da most important people has really given 'im the confidence 'dat he has the heart ta take on his own demons._

Joey walked over to the table to see the cards from the duel were still layed out. Obviously, Kaiba had yet to clean in here. The blonde picked through the cards to see what strategies had been used and got another shock, "Dese are Yuge's cards?" _I guess if both Bakuras were dueling each other one would end up 'deckless'._ "Betta get dese back, fer Yuge." Joey scooped Yugi's cards into a pile, then did the same for Bakura's.

For the first time he was there, he noticed that he had company. _It's dat Umi chick. Wonder if the guy's here too._ Joey wandered over to the couch that last night Ishizu and Tea had sat talking. Umi looked at peace when she slept. "Ya couldn't tell she was sucha brat, if ya saw her like dis," whispered Joey.

Umi's face scrunched up, "I can hear you, ya know!"

Joey looked like he did when Mai screeched at him. "Hehe, really?"

The teenage girl sat up, "Yes, and I'd like it if you didn't insult me, at least not when I'm sleeping. After all, I can't insult you back if I'm sleeping-"

"Unless you sleep-talk," joked Joey.

Umi angered, "I don't sleep-talk!" She jumped up from her sleeping position on the couch to a fighting stance to kick Joey's rear end.

"Get back here, jerkass!"

Umi's kick missed Joey's gut.

"Ha, so do you sleep-fight too?"

Joey narrowly dogged his attacker's headbutt.

"I don't sleep-anything!"

Wham!

Umi's hard right hit her target.

Joey held his head, "Jeez, I was only kidding. Boy what a shot," he rubbed his wounded face to soothe it, "The only other person I know who can hit like that is Mai Valentine, now I really gotta watch what I say, around botha you." He stood up, and held out his hand, "Truce? I won't tease you, if you don't hit me."

Umi hit away his hand, "No way, you're with our enemies, and I have strict 'no-truces-with-enemies' thing goin' on."

"I don't see what you're talking about with the 'our'. Your pal ain't here."

The girl's face fell, "I know that."

Joey put his hand on Umi's shoulder, "Look, I know you don' trust me, but I'd like to know what's goin' on. What's wit your friend and his freakishly scary double personality disorder thingy?"

Umi's anger returned, "I'm not telling you! Not with the way you talk about Anny!"

Click.

Both turned around to see the door opening to reveal the Ishtars and Mokuba.

"Hey you're awake!" chirped Mokuba, "That didn't take too long, only about an hour."

"What do you mean, an hour?" Joey asked. _I was out that long after the duel? Guess it's been worse._ "You mean an hour since-"

"-my brother brought you in." finished the younger Kaiba brother, "Yeah, you both looked really pale and limp. It was kinda scary. But Seto said that you both still had a pulse and normal temperature, so you weren't dead or anything."

"Oh, that's nice," Umi said sarcastically, "Where is your _dear _brother, anyhow?"

Mokuba looked worried, "Well, he left about a half an hour ago."

Flashback-

"Seto, where are you going?" Mokuba said, noticing his big brother in a warm jacket and halfway out the door.

Kaiba turned back with the expression that he was still thinking and not all there, "Out. The other creep who challenged me is still out there."

His brother nodded, "I know. I thought that'd be enough reason to stay in here."

Seto shook his head, "No. For some reason I feel that this guy is like how Marik was during my tournament, that he's out to hurt every person he can, and I can't help but think I'm somewhat responsible to take care of him. After all, Yugi isn't dueling now, so he won't want to stop him. Plus, I want to duel him."

"Why?"

"Because," Kaiba began, "He had wanted to duel me before, and he never got the chance to do it on his own. Besides, he disrespected my Blue-Eyes when he destroyed it with his own so disgracefully. He needs to pay." With that, he left to go out into the soggy evening of Domino.

End Flashback-

"What!" Joey was outraged, "He went ta pick anotha fight wit dat Ananias creep! Dat jerk! Goin' behind my back!"

Umi was also worried, "He shouldn't be out there!"

"Glad we agree on something," Joey mumbled.

Umi shook her head, "No! Anny came here to fight Kaiba to begin with! Now that he's, well, kind of losing it, I doubt he'll be thinking straight enough to _not_ kill Kaiba!"

Mokuba was the first to speak, "What are you talking about? Why's Ananias after my brother?"

Umi turned her head downcast, "Well... when Anny was a kid, his father was the owner of a well-off electronics company. His dad was really close to him, they'd always go on outings, and always talk about stuff. When he turned fourteen, his dad promised him the company. Anny was thrilled because he had grown up around his dad's business, and it was how he wanted to raise his own children, if he had any."

Joey spoke, "But..."

"During that same year, Kaiba Corporation had a new owner, Seto Kaiba. He hated his stepfather's need for war and so, he destroyed the old company and created a company as he saw fit. He made all sorts of things: virtual stimulator, the duel disks; he founded the Battle City tournament. This change in events put every other company in the Kaiba Corporation's shadow. Anny's father ended up commiting suicide because his business hit rock bottom. Anny's been devestated since then, and has wanted revenge against Kaiba ever since then."

Joey crossed his arms, "Sounds like Marik, when he was so pissed at Yami because he thought the reason his family suffered for years and years was because they had to wait for the pharaoh."

Marik nodded, "Which I still think is true."

Sweatdrop.

Ishizu gasped, "I just had a horrible thought! What if Ananias turned out just like Yami Marik was and really did go on a rampage of evil!"

The blonde shrugged, "Den Kaiba's pretty much toast."

"Well then, let's go!" Mokuba cried.

Joey turned to start out the door but paused, "Ah man, I should really call Yuge. I mean it's been an hour or two, and I did just leave him abruptly."

Mokuba pointed, "The phone's right there on the table. We can go ahead if you want and start looking for my brother."

"A'righ." Joey went for the phone while the others exited the room to find Kaiba. _Hope he's not too worried, or anything._ "Hello?"

"Joey! Is that you!" Yugi was in hysterics.

"Yeah, it's me. Look, I just wanted ya to know I'm over at Kaiba's right now."

"Joey, forget about Kaiba! I've got a really bad feeling, and I'd feel better if I knew my friends were safe and sound at their homes!"

Joey tried to calm his best friend down, "Yuge listen. Kaiba's out in the city somewhere, 'cuz he wants to challenge Ananias."

"So what's the problem? I thought that was all you wanted." "Yeah, well. See we already dueled him."

"What!" Yugi was confused. "It's kind of a long story, but basically we found out that Ananias is really mad at Kaiba for ruining his dad's business, and now wants revenge, and I think I just confused you more."

"No, I think I get it. Maybe..."

"Maybe?" Joey said with hope.

"I'll help. Let's meet at the park."

"Why dere?"

"That was where he originally asked to challenge Kaiba, so it seems like the first place to go."

"Oh, okay. I'll see you there."

Click.

Joey sped out of the room, to find Kaiba. _Even I'll miss Kaiba if Anny kills him. Ah, who am I kidding? No I won't. But he shouldn't just get killed anyway.  
_  
-Yugi-

I hung up the phone, my hand shaking. _This is just what I've been worried about. Hopefully Kaiba can beat him and I can just be on the sidelines._

I almost went out my bedroom door before feeling my heart ache. _What was that? I looked on my desk to see the box with the millenium puzzle in it. I-I don't know why, but I feel like I should bring it. Not because of luck, but because I'll need it._

_Why should you bring it?_

_I've known not to ignore little iching hunches_, answered Yugi, _that's why._

Before his newly grown cynical side could stop him he grabbed the box with the puzzle pieces in it, stuffed it in his bag, and ran out of his room.

_This doesn't mean that I miss Yami though._


	12. The Past Haunts

Chapter Twelve- The Past Haunts

-Joey-

I dashed through the park, past the bench that Yugi and I sat at yesterday. _Was it really just yesterday? I feel like years have past since we were dismissed from school._ I ran past the lake and into a small briar patch. _Ouch, crap. 'At didn't feel good._ I stepped on an exceptionally large thorn and screamed bloody murder, "Ouch!! Damn it!!"

When I stopped hopping around, I saw two figures standing in the center. They were Anny and Kaiba. "Guys!! Been lookin' all over here!! What's goin' on?" I saw the disappointed look on Kaiba's face, and with a quick life point check, I saw the reason, "You lost?"

Kaiba flinched at the words, before, "No! It was just a fluke! He couldn't have really… beaten… me." I could tell by the way that he said that, he had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Ananias. _That musta been an even rougher duel than what we went through. Kaiba can't even admit it. Truthfully, I'm glad that I wasn't the one dueling him; I would neva've stood my ground against him._ Bushes crackled before I saw my best pal step out from behind them.

"Ugh," Yugi groaned, "What's going on here? Kaiba?" Yugi's deep eyes looked at Kaiba. He gasped as he must have figured it out. "He didn't… Kaiba, you didn't lose, did you?"

Ananias, so far, had been silent, preferring to watch our struggle with the truth, but now, he smiled at Yugi, as though he had thought of a great plan. "HAHAHAHAHAAAHAH!!!" he laughed hysterically, "This is perfect." He turned back to face his old opponent. "Kaiba, here's your proof that I did beat you!! I'll do the one thing that you never could accomplish: beating Yugi Motou!! Then when your rival lays defeated at my feet, you'll know who is truly superior!!" He continued his twisted laughter.

-Normal-

Kaiba smirked, "You'll never get the chance. Yugi won't duel anymore, and I already know that _I'm _the best, so there is no reason for you to be here any longer."

Ananias chuckled, "Really? Well, I'd suggest you to convince him. Once Umi found out that you had left, no doubt she sent the ragtag team off to rescue you from myself."

"What's your point?"

"Hehehe, my point is this: that if Yugi doesn't duel with me, legitimately, I know of a certain younger brother of yours that is out wandering the street for you _Seto_. If Yugi doesn't duel me, your brother Mokuba dies." Ananias grinned as Kaiba squirmed, "So if I were you, I'd get Yugi to duel me."

"You're bluffing!" Kaiba shouted.

"Nope. My dragons have keen senses; they can find anything in this city within ten minutes. Your brother will die."

The older Kaiba brother winced. _I have no idea if he's telling the truth or not. There's just one thing to do._ "Yugi, do it!"

Yugi looked down, "I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?" yelled Kaiba, outraged at this new development, "This is my brother we're talking about!"

Yugi shook his head, "I don't have my deck. I don't know where I put it last."

Joey thought, _Why should I be doing something now? I know there's something I can do, but what is it? _He put his hands in his pockets and felt what seemed like cards. _Yuge's cards! They were at Kaiba's!_ "Yugi! Here!" He handed the deck of cards to his friend.

The tri-haired boy looked puzzled, "But, how?"

Joey smiled, "They were at Kaiba's place. Ryou had to use them when he dueled with Bakura."

Yugi was hesitant. _Now I don't have any excuse. But I can't walk away from this, Mokuba's counting on me. I guess I have to fight him. _"I guess I have no choice."

Ananias's twisted smile grew, "Now don't sound so disappointed. I should have thought you'd have loved to have an _excuse_ to duel again."

Yugi shook his head, "No. I've met too many weirdoes like you to want to duel anymore."

The raven-haired duelist laughed, "Of course you've wanted this. You've wanted this from the start! Yami was always overshadowing you, and you knew you'd never get the chance to step out for yourself."

"You're way off base!" Yugi yelled. _He's beyond crazy. I could always take care of myself. I got rid of Yami because he caused the suffering I've had to bear._ "I'm only doing this for Mokuba because he's my friend!"

Anny shrugged, "Perhaps you'll be humming a different tune later, for now we duel." He began to collect his cards and shuffle them. He had them all in his duel disk, before he saw that Yugi didn't have a duel disk with him. "Kaiba! Let him use yours!"

At first Kaiba clutched his duel disk like a mother to its child, but it must have crossed his mind that for one, his brother would be killed if he didn't, and two, he was acting like a child. _Damn headache._ "Here." He shoved it into Yugi's hands and took out his own deck.

"Arigato, Kaiba-kun," Yugi said, preparing his deck for the duel. "Oh," he dumped his pack on the ground at his feet. "Let's just do this."

Yugi's hand- Spellbinding Circle, Gamma the Magnet Warrior, Mirror Force, Brain Control, Monster Reborn

Ananias's hand- Spirit Ryu, Hyosanryu, Stamping Destruction, Nutrient Z, Dragon's Gunfire

"I'm in a good mood right now, perhaps you should go first, little Yugi," Ananias taunted.

"Boku no turn," Yugi drew first. _The Magic Cylinder. Better save that for later. _"I summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior in attack mode, and I set one card facedown." Gamma and a facedown card appeared on Yugi's side of the field. "That ends my turn."

"I had thought as much. You really can't duel without your little partner, can you?" Anny drew and looked at his card with pleasure before continuing, "I summon Spirit Ryu in attack mode!"

_Why would he summon that monster? _Yugi thought, _It's pretty weak and plus he must notice that I've got a trap card. Why would he purposely set himself up?_

Anny continued, "I also play the magic card Stamping Destruction. When I have a dragon-type monster on the field my Stamping Destruction card can destroy one magic or trap card on the field and does _500_ points of damage to the card's controller." The Spirit Ryu glowed red before rushing towards the facedown card on the field and destroying it.

Yugi cursed, _I needed that card! That was my Mirror Force card!_

"But that's not all I'll do. Now I attack with Spirit Ryu!" Anny laughed hysterically.

Yugi gasped, "But why? Your monster is weaker than mine!"

"Hehe, don't you know? I can sacrifice my Hyosanryu dragon from my hand so that my Spirit Ryu increases its attack by 1000, thereby making it stronger than your magnet warrior!" The dragon doubled its size before destroying Gamma. "Now then, are you sure that you can duel just as well without Yami?"

The smaller boy growled, "If you even say his name again I will personally rip your lungs out."

"Very well. I'll set one more card and end my turn."

Yugi drew. _Shisha sousei. If I use this card to revive Hyosanryu, I'll have a powerful monster on my side of the field. And with my Brain Control card I can use his own dragon and do him a ton of damage._ "I play the magic cards, Monster Reborn and Brain Control! With these cards I'll take control of the card you sacrificed and your monster on the field! And now I have two monsters that I can attack you with!" The two dragons turned on their master to tear him to shreds, except the snake-like creature managed to avoid the whole attack. "Why couldn't my dragons attack you?"

"It's because I activated a trap card to protect myself, of course. It is the Nutrient Z trap card. With it, I gain 4000 life points when I lose 2500 or more. So I actually gained points from your attack." Anny's eyes glinted from the bits of light that reached them.

Yugi ended his turn.

Ananias drew his card, "I sacrifice my Spirit Ryu to summon the Luster Dragon! This card will be more than capable enough to destroy your Hyosanryu!" Sure enough, the beautiful dragon was eliminated, "I set one card and end my turn."

_Beta the Magnet Warrior. I can't attack with this card; his Luster Dragon is too strong. I'll have to defend for now. _"I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior in defense mode!" _There's nothing else I can really do._ "I end my turn."

Ananias drew a card from his deck. _With his monster in defensive mode, I can attack but I can't do any real damage. At least not until I play my trap card._ "I attack Beta with my Dragon!"

"I'm still safe though."

"Not when I activate this trap card; say hello to the Dragon's Rage! With my trap, when I attack with a dragon, you still lose life points regardless of your monster's position. So your defense will not save you this turn!" The magnet warrior was destroyed with a few precious life points of Yugi's. "I told you. You can't win, not on your own anyway."

"Just watch," Yugi sneered, "I set Alpha the Magnet Warrior in defense position and set one card facedown!" _Now when he attacks next turn, he'll have a little surprise._ "I end my turn."

"Hehe. Say goodbye to your newest monster." The raven-haired guy drew, "Luster Dragon attack Alpha!"

"I flip my trap card, the Magic Cylinder!" Two can-like objects appeared. The first absorbed the attack from Anny and the second sent it right back at him. "This card will redirect your attack right back at you! And you'll take the all the damage! I hope you don't plan on underestimating me any longer, or you'll pay the price of losing this duel!"


	13. The Past Returns

Chapter Thirteen- The Past Returns

-Ryou-

"Ow, ow, OUCH!!" I cried at the last step through a thorny bush. Y-yami, are you sure you know where we're going?

Bakura grunted at me. ((_Positive._))

I sighed in discontent. This was not how I had hoped I'd spend my Saturday evening, trudging around in the mud, on the whim of my yami. _I suppose though I should be grateful. He could be beating me to death after my disobeying him and him losing all his energy to the shadow realm._

((_Damn right._))

I shuddered. Bakura had reappeared so abruptly at home I couldn't help but do exactly as he said. _He's not the kind of person you threaten twice. Heck, I'm surprised I did that once._

((_Ggrr, I said go left here, not right!!_))

I looked from the left to the right. ((The right path looks better yami and-))

A few choice words on his side of our mind connection, and I was soon getting stuck with stickers, and not the type you stick on coloring books. _He's just doing this on purpose. There's nothing on this path that the other path couldn't take me to, and it would be safer too._ At Bakura's growling, I quickly shut off my thoughts. I didn't need to give him any more of a reason to beat me than he already had.

((_Now go through those bushes._))

I did and, unfortunately, they also had thorns in them. _Oh, my aching feet._

((_Oh, shut up._))

I looked up to see Joey, Yugi and Kaiba in the clearing. Joining them was a fourth mysterious person who I had never seen before. "Hi guys." I said in a less than cheerful way. Joey ran towards me. He looked as though he didn't know whether to be happy or worried.

"Hey Ryou. How'd you get 'ere?"

I tried a smile but it didn't work, "Bakura told me to come here."

-Normal-

"Why?" Joey was curious about many things that had to do with Bakura, but at the moment, something that had to do with Ananias sounded more important.

The albino boy turned his head down for a moment. When he spoke again, it was Bakura's voice coming from his mouth, "I sensed a great deal of shadow magic coming from this area and I had to know what it was. It would appear that this enemy that the pharaoh's vessel is presently fighting is the source of this power."

Joey was shocked, "How? He doesn't have a millennium item, and I thought that you had to have one to use the shadow realm."

"The shadow realm is not a toy to be used at one's leisure; it is meant to feed on the darkest feelings in a person's heart. When someone feels an abnormal amount of anger or hate the shadows feed on that anger and manipulate it.

"The millennium items were used as channels to control the power of the shadow realm without anger. The items could somewhat 'cancel' the power of darkness, and make a level playing field with the combatants. It was necessary because a person without shadow magic could never defeat a person who did have it."

"But then Yugi can't beat him!"

Bakura shrugged, "Not my problem now. I was just curious." The yami closed his eyes and gave Ryou control again. Ryou blinked his eyes a couple times and had the look on his face that said, 'I still have no clue what's going on.'

"Yugi! Listen!!" Joey screamed at his best friend.

Yugi spoke quietly to start out, "I heard what he said, Joey. But I don't care!" Yugi's eyes flashed at the blonde, "I'm not going to let this jerk see me weak!" He looked at his opponent. "Finish up your turn, Ananias!"

"Alright then, I set one monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Yugi drew. _I'll show them who's going to beat who._ "I sacrifice my Alpha the Magnet Warrior for the all-powerful Summoned Skull!"

Ryou watched the demonic beast of lightning come to the field. "So... why exactly is Yugi dueling?"

The blonde duelist sighed, "Long story short: if he doesn't duel, Mokuba's a goner." Ryou opened his mouth to ask something, but decided against it and just nodded.

"Now Summoned Skull, attack his Luster Dragon!" Yugi's monster's eyes glowed red before carrying out the attack on Ananias's dragon. Yugi then took one card from his hand, "Now I set one card facedown and end my turn."

Ananias drew a card and smirked, "Your demon monster's arrival will be short-lived. I activate the magic card known as Fissure." As the card activated, a hole began forming underneath Yugi's side of the field. "That hole will destroy the monster with the lowest attack points on your side of the field. Seeing as how your Summoned Skull is the only monster you have, it is sent to the graveyard." The hole continued to grow until it was large enough for the Summoned Skull to fall. "Next I summon the Lord of Dragons in attack mode! Attack Yugi's life points directly!"

"Reverse card open!" Yugi's trap card flipped face-up, "Spellbinding Circle! I know the effect of your monster, which protects dragon cards, but your Lord of Dragons is still vulnerable to my magic and trap cards!" A glowing circle wrapped around the monster's waist and stopped its attack.

"Ugh, fine. I end my turn here."

Yugi drew. _Raigeki. If I use that card, I can wipe out all his monsters, but I don't have any monsters to attack him with. If I save it for my next turn, I can direct attack him with whatever monster I get, but he may sacrifice his monsters to summon a stronger one that could wipe out the rest of my life points._ "I activate Raigeki! This card destroys all monsters on the opponent's side of the field!" Lord of Dragons and Anny's facedown monster, The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave, were destroyed and left the field barren. "I end my turn with that."

"Not much else you can do right now, huh Yugi?" Ananias drew, with the slightest look of worry on his face. _I have to get a monster this turn; otherwise _I'll _be open for an attack like Yugi was. _The worry disappeared from his face, "I summon the monster called Grey Wing!" A small scaly dragon appeared, "I attack your life points directly with my new monster!" The creature bit hard into Yugi's right leg as Yugi screamed in pain.

_Crap. It didn't do that much damage to my life points, but it really hurt._ Yugi hopped around holding his leg before the pain subsided. "Is that all?"

Ananias laughed, "Yes I suppose that is all. You'll lose next turn anyway, so I'll watch you squirm during your last moments in this duel."

"Ch-cheerful." The tiny boy coughed. He thought to himself. _This is probably my last shot. If I don't beat him this turn, my life points are so low, it won't matter if I hold him off this turn. I'm not even sure... that I have a chance to win at all._

"Finally accepted that you got rid of Yami because of you being jealous of him?"

Yugi glanced at him, "What do you mean?"

"It's simple. You never really won any duels on your own." Ananias taunted, "Yami always won them for you."

Yugi interrupted, "I was able to save Joey on my own!"

"If it hadn't been for your friend here, you'd still be at the bottom of the sea." The raven-haired duelist continued, "I'll bet that Yami thought next time that happened, Joey wouldn't be there, so he wouldn't let there be a next time." Anny's gaze deepened, "You wouldn't have that though, so you did the only thing to get out of his shadow: you got him out of the picture." He laughed, "Am I right?"

Yugi didn't answer. _I didn't really think about it the first time he told me, but now... Is he right? I... haven't wanted Yami around really, and I guess I've wanted to duel again. But it can't be! I've always thought of my friends first. I'm like that, aren't I? This is a fine time to be rethinking my motives._

"Let's go, Yugi!" Ananias said impatiently.

The tiny boy didn't answer. _Maybe... maybe I do miss Yami. A lot. I know I've been anti-Yami for awhile now, but I guess, I know that even being blocked out by Yami couldn't compare to this... loneliness I'm feeling right now. _"Yami... please come back." A single tear fell down Yugi's face and onto his backpack. When it touched, Yugi could have sworn he heard, 'It's okay, aibou', before a bright light blinded them all.

Joey covered his eyes with his arms and shut his eyes tight, "Ah, man. I can't even see myself think." The blonde noticed the lack of light coming from between his arms. He was shocked to see that it was still dark, pitch black. "Ahhhh!! I'm blind!! Please!! Help me!!!" He grasped out into the dark to feel for something so that he'd know he wasn't just dreaming and felt hair, "Oh god, where am I?"

The darkness started to drip away, like water, and soon there was no sign of anything odd happening there, except that the Millennium Puzzle was resolved and back around Yugi's neck. When the tri-haired boy spoke with a regal and well-respected voice, everyone knew that Yami was back in control, "Don't worry, aibou. I won't leave you now."

Joey snapped back to reality when he noticed he wasn't blind and jumped around in his _merry _way, clinging to what he'd held onto in his 'blind spazz', "Yes!! Oh, it's never felt so good to see!! Sight is a wonderful thing!!"

The thing Joey held growled, "Let go or I break your arm." Joey looked at his hand to see a very disgruntled Bakura being held by the hair. "What don't you understand about 'Let go'?" Joey, not as spazzy, let go of the albino's hair and edged about four feet away from him. Bakura grunted again and let Ryou have control again.

Joey looked to see Yami back in the duel, "Mou hitori no Yugi."

The previous pharaoh smiled, "Hey, Joey. Would you like to fill me in?"

The blonde was about to answer, but Anny beat him to it, "Basically you're about to lose unless you can get a monster on the field. Is that good enough?"

"You know, I may not be up-to-date on everything in this time, and my ways are very old fashioned, but I do know that it is still rude to interrupt someone." Yami glared at his opponent, "But I would like a chance to look over what's happened here." With that he checked the cards in his graveyard and, much to the displeasure of Ananias, his opponent's graveyard. He thought out the whole thing and knew there was one solution.

(You have to quit.)

(_What?_)

(There's no way to win against him, I screwed up.)

(_There is one way._)

Yami drew. _Yes! _He looked up with confidence, "Ananias, you'll pay for intruding in the hearts of Yugi and his friends. Now, I play the card Valkyrion the Magna Warrior! With its effect, I can sacrifice it to summon the three Magnet Warriors from my graveyard! And believe me, they have enough power to take you down!! Now attack!!"


	14. Shadow and Fire

Chapter Fourteen- Shadow and Fire

-Yami-

"Now Attack!!" I heard three sounds of an attack and Ananias's yell of pain, which told me that I was victorious. I closed my eyes to get calm but almost got the wind knocked out of me thanks to Joey.

"Yami, you're back!! You won!!" Joey continued cheering while at the same time cutting off my air supply.

Ryou, who was standing behind Joey, looked somewhere between mortified and about to laugh. I wrenched my neck around to the other side to see Kaiba too, rolling his eyes at the blonde boy's antics. "Joey! Um, could you possibly let go, please?" I spoke hoarsely. Joey looked at my face, which must have looked pasty because the next minute he was begging on his knees and Kaiba was taunting him about being a 'dog' or whatever it was he always called him.

Ra, I missed this. It gets so lonely in the puzzle. I mean, sure I've got a huge maze to explore and risk my existence, but after awhile it gets old. Like me. Speaking of which, why isn't Yugi talking to me?

(_Yugi? What's wrong?_)

No answer.

(_Yugi, please answer me_.)

(G-gomen nasai.)

(_For what?_)

(I haven't figured out why yet, but because I got rid of you.)

(_I've had worse, I'll live._)

(But Yami, aren't you already dead?)

Sweatdrop.

(_Uh, it's a-a- figure of speech_.)

(Right.)

-Normal-

"Yo? Yami? Yugi? Anybody home?" Joey waved his hand in front of his friend's face. Yami/Yugi blinked his eyes before replying.

"Hey, Joey," Yami was still in control.

Kaiba ahemed, "Could I, um, have my duel disk back?"

Yami looked at him in confusion, "_Your _duel disk?"

"Ya didn't have yours here," Joey explained, "so Kaiba was _kind _enough ta lend his to you." He turned to Kaiba, "And ya didn't say please yet, richboy." Kaiba's upper lip twitched slightly before Yami handed the duel disk back to him.

"Hn. Well, I'll be leaving now." _I've got to make sure Mokuba's safe. _The boys watched Kaiba begin to make his way out of the park, when a voice spoke up behind them.

"If you're worried about your brother," it started, "You needn't bother. I have my honor; I wouldn't go against my word." Yugi's defeated opponent struggled to stand, "He's fine." Ananias finally stood up, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go home and mend. If you see Umi, tell her." He made his slow way out of the clearing, a slight limp from the two duels he'd had to endure.

The brunette watched his new nemesis leave before he too left. _Ungh, time to sleep. What a crappy day._

(_So Yugi, do you want control now?_)

(Sure. I should say bye to Ryou and Joey.)

Yami nodded to his friends, "See ya, guys." He closed his eyes and when they opened Yugi was in control.

He yawned, "Man, I'm tired. Hey Joey, do you want to come by my house? It's closer and you can pick up your books." The small boy looked hopeful. _It feels so weird to have Yami back, I don't think I want to have to be alone. I might say something that I really don't mean._

The blonde, however, shook his head, "Nah, I really have ta get home now. I shoulda been back an hour 'a two ago." He nodded to the albino boy, "What if Ryou hung out wit'cha?" Yugi turned to see if Ryou would.

At first, Ryou looked happy to go, "Su-" Ryou paused and looked in pain for a second. "N-no, I have to get home, too." With that said, he turned and ran away, like he was running from his worst nightmares.

"Well, if I don't get home now, I probably won't have a home to get to. See ya!!" Joey also turned around and ran, leaving Yugi alone.

(Guess it's just us, Yami.)

* * *

-Ryou-

I slowly walked to the front door of my house. I remembered what happened yesterday I did this. _That time, Bakura gave me a broken nose and he was in a good mood. I guess that it was wishful thinking that he'd forget._

((_Get in._))

I realized I'd been standing at the door for a few minutes now.

((R-right, y-yami. I'll-))

((_I said 'get in'!_))

I gulped before shakily opening the door. _If only I'd said that I'd go with Yugi._

((_Do you really think that I'd let Yami being there stop me from beating the crap out of you?_))

After I closed the door my yami managed to use the energy he'd saved up to create a body, and locked the door behind me. "You are dead."

He started walking towards me; I could have sworn I heard his knuckles crack. I tried to get away from him, but, with my present shock from him, all I could manage was a slight shuffle.

I could tell he was beyond angry, because he didn't chuckle at my _weakness_ like he usually did. Instead he just looked at me from those dark piercing eyes, not making a sound, just like a wild animal stalking its prey.

"Yami," I said, trying to stand up to him again, "Y-you know, you wouldn't be so angry with m-me, if y-you hadn't-"

He cut me off with a punch to my stomach.

"I help you with the bullies that pick on you-"

I cried out in pain as my yami dealt another blow to my bruised waist.

"-I help you get friends-"

Bakura grabbed me by the front of my shirt and picked me up from the floor.

"-and to thank me, you get me sent to the shadow realm?!"

He began brutally beating my face, hitting harder and harder before the part of my shirt he had hold of ripped.

"And then, you have the gall to say what I should and should not do?!"

He took a knife out of his pocket and stuck it hard into my arm. It hurt enough with him just doing that, but it was the arm he'd attacked for his _deal_ with Marik. "Not that arm..." I murmured.

I could tell from Bakura's growling that that was not the best thing to say, seeing as how he was sensitive about that. "Just for that-" Bakura jabbed the knife into my shoulder and I cried out harder.

"Maybe _now_, you'll know better than to _interfere_," he stressed the word, "with my plans." He pulled the knife out of my shoulder and grazed the bruised skin on my back.

I felt his spicy breath on my neck and I couldn't move at all. "You've been very disobedient, yadonushi. Perhaps I've been too easy on you lately." He brought the knife down to my legs and shoved it into my flesh again. I could barely breathe, let alone scream in pain anymore.

Bakura was pleased with the work he'd done, "Don't worry, I'm almost through with you yadonushi."

Whatever else he was going to do to me however, I didn't know because at that moment I, thankfully, blacked out.

* * *

-Joey-

"Git out!!"

I dashed away from my dad's apartment as fast as I could. _I knew I shoulda gone there hours ago. Looks like dad's so drunk right now he can't control those punches._

I rubbed my face, my pop's not one you want to mess with... at all.

I looked around before seeing I had gone back to the park. _I wonder if Yuge's asleep yet, I could use a place ta stay. But tha' would be rude an' probably questions would come, like where I got this black an' blue mark when it's onl' been awhile since we've seen each otha._

I saw over my shoulder a park bench with some newspapers lying around it. _Guess dat's my bed tanigh'. _I started picking up the papers and sticking them in my jacket, feeling the cold, wet papers chill my whole body. Sitting on the bench, I pulled my legs up to my chest and shivered. _I bet richboy'd get a kick outta dis._ With that, I settled in for my frigid, restless night.

-Yugi-

* * *

I opened my eyes to see a darkness surround me. "Where is everyone?"

I saw a shadow approach me. It looked a lot like me but it was darker. "Get away!" I ran as fast as I could away from the thing that was now chasing me. I looked to see if I had lost the figure yet, but I saw that the shadow became a raging fire. It didn't look that close to me yet, so I still had a chance to get away from it. I kept running away until the fire surrounded me. It started to get closer and closer to me, until the only for me to escape would be to run through the flames. I tried to jump, but I stayed frozen in fear. "Somebody, please..." I cried, and then...

* * *

I woke up.

I shot out of bed in a cold sweat. As I breathed heavily, I heard Yami trying to talk to me.

(_Yugi, are you okay?_)

My yami used his magic to create his own body to talk to me, "What's wrong, aibou? You look flushed and you're covered in sweat." He asked in concern.

_I don't understand. I thought that this dream would stop as soon as Yami came back._

"Yugi? Yugi?" Yami started shaking me, "What happened? You were tossing and turning in your sleep and you mumbled too."

I shook my head to clear it, "Sorry Yami, just a dream." I pulled off the covers of my bed and got out, "I think I'll go get something to settle my stomach." I dashed down the stairs and walked into the kitchen. _Maybe it's something I ate. No, I've been having it too long for that to be the reason. I thought it was from me getting rid of Yami so I shouldn't be having it anymore._

"Aibou?"

I jumped at the voice and saw Yami behind me. He must have followed me down to make sure I was okay. "I'm okay Yami, really."

Yami studied me before sighing in defeat, "Alright then Yugi, if you say so."

_Should I tell Yami about my dream? I mean, I want to figure out why I'm having it on my own. I don't want Yami telling me what it's about because he doesn't trust my judgement. It's for the best._ I grabbed a juice box and together we went upstairs back to bed. 


	15. Broken Bonds

Chapter Fifteen- Broken Bonds

The sun began to tear through Yugi's curtains while the boy tried to sleep. Yami, who had gone back to the puzzle after Yugi got to sleep, attempted to wake his hikari, but it was proving very difficult.

(_Yugi, you can't sleep all day today._)

The boy grunted and didn't try to communicate telepathically, "What rule says I can't?" Yugi mumbled, burying his head further into his pillow.

(_Come on, I've only seen Bakura, Kaiba and Joey since I've come back. I wanna see everybody else._)

But Yugi, against Yami's pleas, threw his pillow at his other half and tried to continue his rest.

Normally, Yami could talk Yugi into things with his charm, and Yugi was beginning to pick up on that. But Yugi had his own 'attack' that Yami was finding useful, whining. Yugi opened one eye to see his yami attempting a puppy-dog pout face and he laughed. "Yami," Yugi whined back. "We can see everybody else later, I was up until eleven-thirty; I need sleep."

After both of them practicing their whining attacks, the younger of the two decided that he wouldn't get anymore sleep even if he tried. While Yami happily pranced in the kitchen, Yugi fetched some breakfast for himself. _I wonder how happy everybody else will be when they see Yami again. Joey's probably told them all about last night by now, so no sense in surprising them._

Knock, knock.

"Yu-gi, some-one's at the do-or!" Yami sang.

Yugi shook his head, "Yami, no caffeine for you." He moved to open the door before turning back, "No sugar either."

"No fair." Yami humped, but seemed to calm down a bit.

Yugi opened the door to reveal Joey, "Joey? What are you doing here, at this time in the morning?"

The blonde yawned, "I- awg- wanted ta see how Yami was doin' afta his firs' nigh' back." He stepped in and saw the said yami sitting on the counter like a child being reprimanded. "Didja catch him eatin' da suga, again?"

Yami pouted, "Aibou won't let me."

His hikari shrugged, "You were close to kissing the floor; I had to set some boundaries."

Joey smiled, "Ya guys act like nothin's happened. Dat's good." He looked around the kitchen as though he was out of place, "So Yuge, couldja spare a piece a toast? My old man kicked me out early an' I didn't have time ta get food." _Dat's not entirely wrong. I mean, he did kick me out early, maybe earlier than it sounded._

"Sure Joey. Help yourself," Yugi pointed to the cupboards.

With that said, the blonde made a mad dash to the food and started scarfing down anything within three feet of his mouth. "Mmm-chomp chomp-das' good," he took a break to finish off the milk carton. "So you's guys want ta hang out taday? I t'ought dat it was so- glug glug- nice out dat we could- crunch- have everybody hang out." He looked up, "What?"

Yami stared at him with a raised eyebrow. Yugi's eyes followed Joey's and went, 'oh'.

(He asked if we wanted to hang out with everybody else today.)

"Oh. Yes, of course. We'd love to!" Yami grabbed the phone and started punching in numbers.

Joey grabbed Yugi's arm, "Hey, could we talk?" The boys walked into the hallway, leaving the few thousand years old pharaoh to the telephone. "So Yuge, you an' Yami gettin' along?"

"Yeah! It's great," Yugi said with a bright smile on his face, "You know, I'm starting to feel foolish because I didn't listen to you before."

"Jus' startin'?" joked Joey.

The shorter boy scrunched up his face, and then sighed in defeat, "I guess I deserved that one." _I guess I shouldn't take him for granted anymore. His advice is good... when I want to listen to it. I wonder if he could think of any good advice about my dream._ "Hey Joey, I was wondering-" the tri-haired boy started.

"Guys?" Yami walked into the hallway, now his normal, regal self again, "I got a hold of Tea, Tristan, and Duke, but Bakura doesn't sound like he's picking up the phone."

Joey looked concerned, "Do ya think he's hurt?"

"I hope not," said the yami, "But it can't hurt to check. Tell me," he looked to the two boys, worry lining his face, "Has the spirit of the ring acted up at all in my absence?"

Joey and Yugi looked at each other. How would Yami take it to know that Bakura almost managed to take the puzzle from Yugi again? _Yami would understand that we're only keeping this from him because it's for his benefit, right?_ "No, he's been pretty tolerable actually. We went to a party with him and he was, um, definitely the life of the party." Yugi failed to mention that he was about the only life for a part of the party. "Maybe Ryou's just really tired from doing all the homework he has and didn't hear the phone."

Yami didn't like that response, "But the tomb robber knows about modern technology, why can't he answer it? He's able to create his own body like I can."

The modern day boys looked to each other for help. What were they to say? That Bakura, out of his _concern_ for Yami, looked in the shadow realm for a way for him to talk to Yugi and accidentally got trapped there? "You know, dat's an interestin' statement, Yami. Maybe I should go check on him and meet wicha someplace."

Yugi nodded. _Yami doesn't need to know about Bakura right now_, "Great idea, Joey. Why don't we meet at-"

"Um, I hope I'm not intruding," interrupted Yami, "But I invited the others to the arcade when I was in there," he pointed to the kitchen.

"Okay," agreed the hikari, "Meet us there Joey."

* * *

-Joey-

I knocked hurried on the door to Ryou's house. _What could have happened that Ryou couldn't answer the phone? Bakura must have something to do with this! It's da only explanation!_ I knocked again in frustration, "Ryou? You up?"

I heard some grunting inside and decided that was my invitation inside. I only wish I didn't go in.

-Normal-

The blonde jiggled the handle to see it was locked. Instead of giving up though, he grabbed a pin that was in his pocket. _Mr. Door meet Mr. Unofficial Key._ After prying at the lock for a minute Joey managed to get the door open. Even though the door was barely open, Joey could hear heavy breathing in the house, like someone had run a mile, "Ryou? You okay?" He opened the door and gasped in shock.

Ryou lay on the floor coated with a layer of his blood. His clothes were torn in numerous places, and his face looked even paler than the albino normally looked. Near his mouth was pile of vomit. He saw next to Ryou's body a knife with dried blood on it.

_I don't think he was tired from homework._ "Oh my god, Ryou!" He got down on the ground near his friend and tried lifting the boy up so he could get cleaned. He began picking him up when he felt something light and weak touch his arm.

"Don't.. worry.. 'bout me." Ryou choked on his words, "I.. just need to lay down for a few minutes more."

Joey looked mortified, "No way in hell am I letting you die! You've gotta get to da hospital or you'll bleed ta death!" Joey searched the room, "It was _him_, wasn't it?" The blonde watched his friend's response. When Ryou slowly nodded his head, Joey was enraged, "I'm gonna kill him!"

Ryou reached his hand to Joey, "Don't worry. He's.." Ryou paused for a hacking spell to overcome him, "He's done worse." Before Joey could protest, Ryou pulled himself to his feet. "Don't.. tell anyone. Please, Joey."

"But-" Joey looked at his friend. He didn't want to go against his better judgment of sending Ryou to the hospital, but if Ryou didn't want anyone to know, he should do as he says. He nodded.

* * *

"Yami! You're back!" Tea ran and jumped into the spirit of the puzzle's arms, which knocked him over. "Oh, I missed you so much! Do you like being back here again?" Tea kept babbling on and on until Duke and Tristan managed to pry her off.

"Hey guys," Tristan yawned. He looked exhausted even after the whole day they hadn't seen him. "Where's Joey? Wasn't he with you guys?"

Yami frowned, "He went to get Ryou because he didn't answer his phone. I'm really worried though, maybe we should have gone with him to help."

His partner shook his head furiously, "No, that's okay. Like Joey said, he could handle that so let's get playing games." Yugi walked off to a racing game in the center of the arcade. Yami watched his hikari with curiosity before following him which made the others follow the boys as well.

While the gang waited for Joey and Ryou, they all played at the arcade until they used up a large amount of their cash. Tea followed Yami around to every game and acted so girly that she lost every time. Duke and Tristan were trying to have fun, but managed to compete with each other for a girl that they saw at the snack bar. Yugi played every game he could and managed an awesome score on each, but every time he scored high, so did Yami. Yugi started feeling frustrated by the time that the other two boys showed up.

-Joey-

"Can you walk on your own now?" I asked in concern.

Ryou smiled, "Yes, those last few blocks were just a little tiring. I believe we're here."

I looked inside the arcade and saw the rest of the guys already there. It was no surprise to me. _I'm shocked that they were waiting that long._ We had taken awhile to get from the Bakura residence to here because Ryou first had to shower to get rid of the blood on himself. Then he had to pick out some new clothes from his drawer. We decided to leave the carpet for now and just pray that Ryou's dad didn't come home. When we started out, Ryou looked alright up until the third block. We took a few breaks and he also had to lean on me when he walked so he had some support.

I was surprised that Ryou was much happier after we left. I think he was glad that he had someone to trust with the secret that Bakura still beat him very badly. It's not one of the things that you necessarily want people to know about, but you need someone just to know, so that if it happens again, you can talk to that person about it. _Yugi wouldn't make a good person to talk to because he wasn't beaten by someone who was supposed to protect him. I can relate though cuz my dad hates me and beats me some a da time._

"Hey Ryou, you sure you don't need help walkin'?"

The albino blushed at my concern, "Yes Joey, I'm positive." He moved to get away from me but noticed I wasn't letting go, "I- you can let go of me now."

I reluctantly let him go and watched him stagger through the doors.

Tea looked toward the doors and saw us there, "Hey guys! Boys, Joey and Ryou are here!" She grabbed Yami around his waist and dragged him over to us like a huge stuffed animal.

"Hey… Ryou are you okay?" Tristan asked. "You look a little pale."

"Dumbass," butted in Duke, "He's albino. What do you expect?"

"I mean more than usual, jerkface!"

"What the hell's an insult like that?"

Tea looked annoyed by the arguing pair, before she held her Yami 'plushie' closer to her, "You aren't getting out of my sight this time, Yami." She purred into his hair.

Ryou and I forced out a laugh, "Poor Yami."

The brunette's face scrunched up before she smiled, "For that, you guys can pay for our snacks."

"A'right. Fair's fair." I pulled out my wallet and shrugged, "Heh, no can do Tea." I held out my wallet so she could see that it was empty with an exception of loose change and old receipts. "You taking it dis time Ryou?"

Ryou put on a bashful smile and shook his head, "I forgot my money in my other jeans."

"Well isn't that convenient," Tea huffed.

Yami smirked, "Don't worry, it's on me." He pulled out some money and hurried away to the snack bar.

_I'll bet he just said that to get away from Tea._

Yugi walked up behind Tea, "Hey Tea."

"Hm. Oh, Yugi, what is it?" she spoke with slight impatience.

My best friend must have either not noticed or ignored it, "Would you like me to get your drink like usual?"

"Oh that's okay Yugi. Yami's getting our food." Tea chirped before going to said yami.

Yugi turned his head downcast, "Figures. He's butting in again."

"What was dat, pal?"

"Yami," he said, as though it was obvious, "He keeps trying to take over my life. It's like he didn't get enough living back in Egypt so he wants to take mine."

"Yugi," came from a surprised Yami. "I had no idea."

Yugi looked back at Yami with the same anger filled eyes that he looked at me with on the bus, "It's not like you care now. You've always had your way as _pharaoh_ so why not but into my life too, just like everyone else you've managed to walk all over in Egypt."

"Yugi what are you talking about?" Yami looked confused.

Yugi just turned and ran out the door of the arcade, "Just forget about it!"

"Yugi wait!" Yami and I ran out the door after my best friend onto the slick street outside the arcade. "Let's talk about this!"

Yugi stopped and turned around, almost slipping on the street, "You want to talk? Let's talk! I'm sick of you always making everything I do seem like nothing compared to what you do! I'm sick of you being the person my friends want to hang out with instead of me! But most of all, I'm sick of you invading my life! This is my life, I worked hard to get here right now, and I don't want someone else taking the credit for what I do!!"

While Yugi let out his anger, none of us notice how it was getting brighter and brighter around us. We didn't notice that all the others were saying to move it. But I finally did notice the car speeding towards us out of control when it was just a few meters away. And I saw how unless someone did something, Yugi would get hit. "Yugi, move!!"


	16. Without

Chapter Sixteen- Without

-Yugi-

I don't know what's going on. It feels so weird. I remember yelling at Yami, letting out all my pent up aggression at him. Wait, Joey was there too. He looked really shocked at what I was saying and then he told me to move. Move to where? China? It's not like I was in danger or anything.

I slowly started opening my eyes and felt the light pain on the back of my elbows and head. Wait. There were bright lights and the others were yelling at us to get out of the way.

"Oh, no," I heard Tea whisper. I finally did open my eyes, which stung slightly from the pain. I sat up on my own to see my surroundings. I was sitting on the pavement on the other side of the street. Other than some bruises on my arms, I was basically alright. I looked into the street and saw all my friends standing around something. I could here some things but mainly a siren in the distant background.

"... call an ambulance..."

"... is the other boy..."

"... how could this happen..."

I finally stood up, blinking my eyes a couple times to see better, "Yami? Guys?" I staggered over to the group when Tea saw me.

"Yugi," she looked as though she was in a trance. "Thank God you're okay!" she ran over to me and wrapped her arms around me. I could feel her warm tears falling onto my neck and shoulder.

"Tea," I said urgently, "What happened? How'd I get over there? Why was I out cold?" I just blurted out questions as they came to me. I didn't like not knowing what was going on here.

Tea looked crestfallen, and when she finally thought of what to say, she stumbled over the words, "Yugi, when you.. were arguing with Yami, we were trying t-to tell you that a car was c-coming towards y-you." Tears ran freely down her face as she tried to continue.

"So... I got hit?" I asked, fearing the answer.

"N-no, Yugi. You ju-just got a few scratches on the sidewalk." Tea took a deep breath here, as I could tell, this was the hardest part for her to say. "I don't think you sh-should see this, b-but I can't say this because I d-don't want to accept it m-myself." She took my hand in hers and led me to the rest of the gang. I saw the car that must have been the one that came toward us because it had a dent in the front of it.

"Yugi," Yami started, but Tea cut him off.

"H-here," she sobbed. I took a few steps forward and my jaw dropped in shock.

Joey lay in front of me, covered in blood around his mid-section. He had several cuts and bruises on his arms and legs that I could see.

I couldn't believe this had happened. _Joey, how could you? How can you be dead? It's not fair! My best friend, and the last moments we had together were with me arguing and yelling. Joey... how could you do this to me?_

As I had been thinking an ambulance from the nearest hospital arrived and hurried to Joey's side. A nurse checked for vital signs of life. _What's the point, he's dead! There I said it! Dead! He was so annoyed by my ranting that he simply wouldn't deal with them anymore._

Tea started shaking my arm, "Yugi, come on!"

"What for," I asked with apathy hanging on every word.

Yami jumped in now, "The doctors say he's just barely alive. He may make it Yugi! Come on, we're going to the hospital." Before I could object, Yami pulled me onto the ambulance and we were whisked away to the hospital and I couldn't help feeling that the closer we got to our destination the closer Joey was getting to death's door.

-Normal-

Yugi and Yami hurried in with the doctors and Joey's nearly lifeless body. "I'm sorry boys, but you'll have to wait here." The head nurse shooed them to the waiting room.

Yami was outraged, "He's our friend! We aren't leaving his side!"

The nurse sighed, "I'm sorry but no one is allowed in, especially not non-family members." With that she walked away to the E.R.

Yugi sullenly sat down on one of the chairs, looking only at his feet. He kicked his feet back and forth in a sort of trance. Yami on the other hand, paced the room a million times, always checking the time, as though the time that Joey would last would show on the clock. Whenever a new doctor or nurse entered from the emergency room, Yami jumped over to them and asked automatically what was going on with Joey.

Yami had just asked the sixth doctor when the rest of the gang showed up in the waiting room.

"S-so, what's h-happening?" Tea was still overcome with grief from the accident.

Yami shook his head, "Either none of the doctors attending Joey are coming out, or they're keeping us out of the loop on purpose. I don't know what Joey's going through yet, but... if he's lasted this long..." The spirit of the pharaoh left the sentence unfinished and the others understood that Joey was caught in between life and death, fighting to be with his friends.

The guys sat down, Tea next to Yugi, gripping onto the tiny boy's hand like it was her only lifeline. Duke sat across from them and played with his hair and die earring. Tristan, not having long enough hair, body piercing or the want to hold somebody's hand, sat looking all over the room, his head moving like an owl's, moving at each sound he heard, completely unnerved. Ryou, who was normally quiet and outspoken, curled up into a ball on one of the seats, every once in awhile muttering something to himself. Yami continued his pacing of the waiting room.

The group of teens and the few thousand year old ruler waited in the room for half an hour without talking to each other.

-Tea-

_Joey. I don't understand why this had to happen. Why you? You were always there for all of us to boost our confidence. Even if you were the one that needed it the most._

* * *

Joey and Odion were dueling on the Battle Ship. Serenity and all the others just saw Odion's monster eat Joey's Insect Queen and Serenity wasn't able to take it.

"My brother. I can't watch! It's just too much!" Serenity began to run away from the duel site when her brother called her back.

"Serenity, come back! Don't leave me now! I needja. I can't get through dis duel witout you here! You're my biggest inspiration Serenity."

"Do you mean that?"

"Absolutely! Where do you think I get all my courage from?" Joey smiled as he said this and his sister stayed to give him courage like she always had.

_

* * *

_

_What will Serenity say when she finds out what happened? I don't know if she can accept it. And neither could I._

-Tristan-

Click

I turned to see a stapler being used by one of the nurses. _Why don't they do something useful and help save my pal, or at least tell us what's going on in there!_

Creek

I snapped my neck to see a door open behind us. Some patients were coming out. _Don't panic man. Soon, he's gonna come out of those doors, when we feel our worst and say something like, 'you guys worried 'bout me? come 'on, ya should know me betta den dat!' Come on, Joey, get out of that bed._

-Ryou-

_Joey, how'd you get into this mess. You were the first person I really felt like I could trust, someone that I could talk to about Bakura. Why did you have to get hit by that car? I know you couldn't just let Yugi get hit, but there must have been some way to avoid this. You don't know how good I felt when someone knew, really knew not just through the grapevine, that Bakura beat me, especially since Joey's father beat him too. I thought we could help each other and support each other. But I guess that wasn't meant to be._

-Duke-

I watched irritatedly as Tea breathed heavily, Tristan was so high-strung, Yami couldn't sit down, and Yugi and Ryou were cut off from the world. I can't stand this silence. We were all losing someone here, but that didn't mean that we could set ourselves in our own deluded world. I tried that when I didn't think that Industrial Illusions could produce my game and it didn't work then. It won't work now.

"Would you guys snap the hell out of it?!"

-Normal-

Yami stopped pacing Tea stopped hyperventilating, and Tristan snapped his head over to me. Yugi and Ryou made no movement to look at me, though.

"Look at you guys! For one thing, we don't even know if he's dead yet! Don't you start your morning yet!" Duke yelled not being able to take the silence.

Yami turned his eyes downcast, "Duke, they never said he would be, for sure, alright. He could be dying right now, and we can't help that."

"Yes, but if we can't do anything to stop this now, then moping around won't do anything either!" Duke was losing his cool. Neither Yugi nor Ryou were looking at him and he was getting frustrated. "Will you two snap out of it?!"

Slap

Duke's hand hit Ryou's face, at least the part that was showing. Ryou looked up at Duke to see the tears he was holding back. This was just as hard for Duke as it was for them all. They knew what they were feeling right now, all the pain that they might be losing their best friend. "Duke's right," the albino whispered, "Keeping what we feel inside or trying to disguise it won't do us any good. We have to talk."

Duke sat back down in his seat across from Tea and, for the first time there, Yami sat down on the other side of Yugi. "I think," Duke said pointing to Yami and Yugi, "that you two need to talk to each other first."

Yugi led his yami to the other side of the room that was deserted. He waited to get his thoughts together before talking. "Yami," he started, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for yelling at you. You wouldn't have known what was bugging me because I didn't tell you. The truth is, I really hated it when you were the one winning the duels. It felt like you didn't trust me to make the right choices."

"Yugi," Yami interrupted, "It's not that I don't trust you, it's just that I don't ever want to take the risk of losing you. You've become such an important person to me now, someone who inspires me. I don't want to lose that."

The younger tri-haired boy started to cry, "It's not that I don't know that, I do. It's just right now, I want to start being independent, or at least a little." Yugi sobbed lightly into Yami's shoulder and the two sat there for a few more minutes, Yugi crying and Yami patting his back.

When Yugi calmed down, the boys went back to their friends.

"…when he was about to duel Odion and his cards almost got blown away?" Duke was saying.

Tea managed a slight laugh at that memory and Ryou was uncurled from his chair. The brunette looked at the pair with still sad eyes, "Did you work everything out?" Yami and Yugi nodded before sitting down next to Tea. "I remember when Joey was just starting out dueling. He was so determined to prove himself, it looked like he'd just make a fool of himself like at school. But he stood his ground."

"Yeah," reminisced Yugi, "During the duel with Mai, he was able to find out how she knew what cards she played. That was brilliant." The group of teens were silent again as they thought of Joey's past. All the duels he won, the opponents he beat and the friends and rivals he made. If Joey did die, his life would not have been wasted.

A nurse stepped into the waiting room looking exhausted, "Does anyone here know a Joseph Wheeler?" Immediately the six teens rushed to her side asking her a thousand questions at a time. "Calm down. We haven't been able to reach his parents, do you know where they'd be."

Tristan answered her, "His folks are divorced and his dad's an all-time drunk. His mom's living in America with his sister so there's no real hope getting a hold of any of them."

"That's a shame. I'm sure they'd have wanted to say goodbye to him."

"What?!" Again they all started questioning her, not wanting to believe this may be the last time they ever see their friend alive.

Yami pushed them back and asked as calmly as he could under the circumstances, "Could we please see him right now?"

"I suppose, since you seem to be the only people close enough who care about him," the nurse reluctantly said, "Come with me." She began to lead them to Joey.

Yami looked behind to the rest of the group, "Let's go." He said hoarsely.

The trip through the E.R. was a very quiet one, as they passed by each room they saw many other people whose lives may also have been hanging between life and death. With each one they saw, they wished that their friend still had a chance to live. "He's here." The nurse spoke apathetically.

Slowly they all entered the room. Joey, who looked barely alive anymore lay on the bed, I.V.s attached to his arms and bandages covering his stomach. Yugi couldn't look at Joey much longer, it looked like he was hanging from a mere thread from death. He looked hard at his eyes, which were closed, not letting anyone see the dark brown orbs that always showed such courage. "I-I can't do this." Yugi was about to cry again when a small constricted laugh broke the tension.

"Keh, look who's here," The blonde coughed some more and opened one eye to see his friends, "De-keh keh- gang's all h-here." He raised his hand to wave them closer but retracted it swiftly, his arm had been badly damaged on the impact.

The doctor nodded them over to Joey, "I'll leave you alone now." He turned and left the room.

Click.

"Joey," Tristan murmured before going to his best pal's side. _I can't stand to see him like this. He was always so full of energy, it isn't right that he's confined to a bed._

"Ah, man. What's up wit you?" Joey wheezed, "Ya look like ya got hit by a..." he drifted off at his own comment, reality sinking in. "Neva mind."

The rest of the gang didn't know what to say. It wasn't like they had to do this everyday, and they wouldn't want to say the wrong thing or else it would haunt them all for the rest of their lives. Five minutes passed with all of them trying to say something but none of them managing anything. "Kehk-hak, don't all jump at da same time," Joey said, lightening the mood.

"But Joey," Yugi started, "Well w-we..." he stuttered, not sure how to say what he was thinking.

"Hey Yuge," The blonde boy shrugged, "I know what's goin' on. But dat doesn't mean I'm gonna be scar'd like a baby. I'm gonna face dis like a man." He tried to flex his muscles to prove it, but was still in pain so he couldn't.

Ryou attempted a chuckle, "That is what you'd say Joey."

"Yeah," coughed Joey, "Dat's wha' I'm talkin 'bout!" A bout of coughing overcame him and when he stopped his face looked extra pale. "I-I know dat, well, you probably won't get da chance ta talk ta me again, but- coughcough- I really think dat Yugi an' I got sometin ta talk about." A slight blush crept up on his face as he said this.

The others looked like they were just waiting for a reason to get away because they made their slow way out. Yami looked back before leaving Yugi and Joey alone.

"So Yuge," Joey started, "Have you an' Yami made up now? I mean, really." He said seriously.

Yugi stared at Joey for a second before breaking down and crying.

"Huh, uh Yuge. I didn't tink it was dat bad of a question." Joey was confused.

Yugi kept crying though, "It's just that, y-you, you're going to... and you're asking about me and if e-everyt-thing is okay w-with me."

"Well duh, man," The blonde said, "I mean, it's not like I'm gonna have any- coughcough- other chance to know if- kerfkerf- you g-guys made up." He coughed harder, "Don' worry bout me. I don't havta deal with this much longa. Jus talk fast."

"Well, Yami and I... we talked earlier and I decided he should stay... and Yami, he agreed that he'd let me have some of my independence." Yugi recapped.

"Heh, dat's great. Sounds like everyting's alright now." Joey smiled. He breathed a sigh of relief as he rested his head.

"No Joey! How can you say that when you're... when you're-" Yugi's voice trailed off again.

"Doncha think dis is hard fer me too," Yugi's best friend asked, "Fer me ta just stop livin' before I start? It's not easy pickens fer me. I-I'm just glad dat I had just a great friend like you ta at least get me on da right track. Tell sis, I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye myself." His eyes pleaded to Yugi before lay down any energy he had before gone.

"Joey, I'm sorry... for giving you such a hard time... when you were trying to help me."

"Don' worry pal. I- cough- neva held it against ya." with that Joey took his last breath.

* * *

The door opened and Yugi exited to see his friends. They looked expectantly at their pal, hoping that all this was a dream. "H-he's gone, guys."


	17. Epilogue: Tears Like Rain

disclaimer- i don't own yugioh or hilary duff's 'come clean'.

Epilogue- Tears Like Rain

Pitter-patter

The rain hit the window of Yugi's room like it was trying to wake him itself. When the boy didn't stir, the rain rapped on the window again, reminding him not to sleep in. The surrounding clouds that hung over his house however, told him to stay in bed and mourn.

Yugi drearily opened one eye and watched the rain splatter on the pane. It had been several days since his best friend's death, and he still felt responsible, no matter what their last conversation had been like.

Yugi's eyes became unfocused as he thought about what had to be done today. _Joey's funeral._

Let's go back  
Back to the beginning  
Back to when the earth, the sun, the  
stars all aligned

'Cause perfect didn't feel so perfect  
Trying to fit a square into a circle  
Was no lie  
I defy

The previous day, he and his other friends waited at the airport to see Serenity and her mother come back to Japan. When they told the rest of what had happened, Serenity burst into tears and locked herself in the bathroom of her hotel room.

Her reaction, as miserable as it was, was the least odd. When they had, of course, told Kaiba and Mokuba the news, it was completely out of the ordinary. Mokuba's jaw dropped, and he was at a loss for words, not entirely out of concern, but out of surprise.

Kaiba's reaction was much more unbelievable. At first, it looked like he'd reprimand Joey for getting hit by a car and then just leave it like that. But when their words sunk in, Kaiba could barely make eye contact with anyone else. He actually said he was sorry and, as a way to repay his debt to Joey for being a jerk, he said he'd pay for any expenses without anyone forcing him to.

Pitter-patter

(I guess when drastic things happen...) Yugi left his thought hanging.

"I don't think Kaiba ever did hate Joey..." said a voice.

Yugi looked up, back to the window, and saw, amongst the streams of rain, his yami's reflection staring back at him. He turned around to see the pharaoh in his spirit form sitting on the edge of the bed. "... he's just too stubborn to admit it." finished Yami.

Yugi nodded, wiping away some tear beads on his eyes, "Yeah. So, how long have you been awake?"

Yami looked back to the window where the rain had yet to let up, "I don't know. A few hours perhaps." He sighed, "The rain is soothing to me right now. It's as though the whole world wishes for Joey to live again. As the old saying goes, 'misery loves company'."

Let the rain fall down  
And wake my dreams  
Let it wash away  
My sanity  
'cause I wanna feel the thunder  
I wanna scream  
Let the rain fall down  
I'm coming clean, I'm coming clean

His hikari also stared at the window, watching the way the rain flowed down it, "It is soothing, comforting in a way." Yugi rested his head on his pillow.

"You don't have to go, if you don't want to," Yami put his hand on Yugi's shoulder, "I'm sure Joey wouldn't want you to do anything you weren't comfortable with."

Yugi shook his head, "I'm going. I just have to." Yugi stood up and walked into the bathroom to freshen up. His eyes were reddened and puffy from crying in his sleep and his face looked thin and worn out. His hair drooped slightly from him rolling around during the night.

When he finished, he walked back to his room to see Yami still watching the rain, "Yami, do you want something to eat?" Though to him, he hadn't wanted to eat that much for the last few days.

The previous king looked to Yugi and shook his head, "No, but arigato." Yugi nodded and walked downstairs on his own. He didn't have any intention on having breakfast either, but he needed his own place to mourn.

I'm shedding  
Shedding every color  
Trying to find a pigment of truth  
Beneath my skin

'cause different  
Doesn't feel so different  
And going out is better  
Then always staying in  
Feel the wind

He sat down at the counter of the game shop, head in his hands. _It feels like it was just yesterday when Joey came bounding in here and bought his first Duel Monsters cards. Or when he and Kaiba first encountered each other._

Yugi reached into the box of card packs and took one out. Ripping it open, he saw Joey's favorite card on top, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon. _That was the card he won from Rex Raptor in Duelist Kingdom in his second official duel. Ever since that game, the two of them bonded together like the best of friends. His Red-Eyes must be in pain right now, knowing its master won't be able to use it again._

Pitter-patter

Let the rain fall down  
And wake my dreams  
Let it wash away  
My sanity  
'cause I wanna feel the thunder  
I wanna scream  
Let the rain fall down  
I'm coming clean, I'm coming clean

The rain continued to pour all during Joey's funeral; it, inadvertantly, kept the mood depressed all throughout the day, not that anyone thought that they wouldn't be.

Pitter-patter

The group gathered at a coffee shop, just to be together and to be strong. Kaiba and Yugi ended up sitting together.

Yugi looked into the sky, "With this rain, it feels lonely for some reason. Whenever it rains, people want to be away from it; when people are depressed and sad, people want to be away from them so they don't darken their day." He looked down at his drink, "I feel like if I cry and let all my feelings out, people won't want to be with me, because I'll bring them down with me.

Pitter-patter

"Do you know what I mean?" he turned to see his companion.

The executive continued staring out the window at the rain, "No." Yugi looked downcast before Kaiba continued, "I mean, I don't understand how you can feel that way."

The tri-haired boy stood up quickly, "How can't you! One of our friends just died!" An 'hem-hem' from the other side of the shop brought him out of his rage and he sat down, "Gomen." He took a sip of his drink to calm him. "How can't you?" he asked again.

"People don't appreciate this rain, even though it has it's purpose," explained Kaiba. "The rain washes away dirt and filth in the air. It makes it easier on us to breath and just live." He turned to watch Yugi's reaction, "Maybe this rain, maybe it's Joey's way of trying to get rid of himself and his memory so we don't live in misery forever." He watched the rain drops fall for a few more seconds before taking Mokuba and the both of them going home.

I'm coming clean  
Let the rain fall  
Let the rain fall  
I'm coming clean

Yugi now watched the rain on his own. Each drop went down the glass, leaving no trace of any grime that was on it earlier.

_Is that what you're doing Joey? Washing away the pain, so we can go on with our lives without you? It would be so much easier for me and the others, I'm sure. We wouldn't have to wake up each morning, dreading that you were really gone. We wouldn't have to remember all the things you've done for us and regret never thanking you for them. It would be wonderful to be at peace like that. But I think I would rather have only known you for one day, than to have never been able to meet you at all._

_You've really changed me from the poor sap that I used to be. You said before that you were toughening me up for the world. Well, I guess your work is done. Arigato, Joey. And goodbye._

Let the rain fall down  
And wake my dreams  
Let it wash away  
My sanity  
'cause I wanna feel the thunder  
I wanna scream  
Let the rain fall down  
I'm coming clean

Let's go back  
Back to the beginning

The End

* * *

hm, it might be the end at the rate the sequel's moving along. i don't even know if i'll try to write it, the ending seems good enough and it's not like anybody seems to like this one. ah, well, no more pity party here. must write! (glint in eyes) go check out my other stories i've got posted, i think they're much better anyway! 


End file.
